Documentation Burden

Documentation Burden: Physician job satisfaction and burnout are urgent challenges currently facing the U.S. healthcare system, especially given the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are multiple contributors driving these issues, but documentation burden is commonly cited as a key factor. Many physicians report that electronic health records (EHRs), electronic prescribing, electronic patient portals, and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) lead to information overload, frequent interruptions/distractions, and a change in the content of professional work to tasks less connected to meaning and purpose. Greater time spent on administrative tasks is associated with decreased career satisfaction and increased burnout, and greater use of EHRs and CPOE is associated with increased burnout. EHR usability is generally poor, and physician assessment of poor EHR usability is strongly associated with burnout. In addition, clinical documentation requirements often cannot be completed during the work day, and "work outside of work" is a strong driver of physician burnout.