Electronic health records could negatively affect healthcare team well-being, according to a study published May 12 in JAMA Network.
The qualitative study included 73 attending and resident physicians working in fields including ambulatory specialties, hospital medicine and surgery.
The surveyed physicians reported electronic health records to be the dominant communication modality among teams and that it helped complete simple, uncomplicated tasks. However, the physicians reported that electronic health records limited the communication and social connection needed to build relationships and navigate conflict.
Electronic health records also were found to introduce areas of conflict into team relationships related to medical-legal pressures, role confusion, and undefined norms around EHR-related communication.