Providing Comprehensive Health Law Services Throughout Wisconsin

Differences in EHR concerns between office-based and hospital-based doctors

On Behalf of | Jul 7, 2017 | Health Law |

Among the ways doctors vary from each other is in their work environment. For example, some doctors work at hospitals, while others are based from offices.

Where a doctor is based, office or hospital, can have a wide range of impacts for them. For example, where a doctor works can impact the types of legal issues that arise for them in relation to their work. Skilled attorneys can help office-based and hospital-based physicians here in Wisconsin with being aware of and addressing the legal matters particular to their specific practice situation.

Whether a doctor is based in a hospital or an office could also impact what kinds of concerns arise for them in connection to new developments in healthcare technology.

An example of this can be seen in a recent study on electronic health records (EHRs). The study looked at feedback on EHR use given by nearly 750 doctors in a Rhode Island survey.

The study found there to be general differences between the feedback of hospital-based doctors and that of office-based doctors. For example, these two types of doctors differed in what types of complaints were particularly common among them regarding EHRs when it comes to patient interactions.

Complaints by office-based doctors tended to focus on EHRs weakening doctor-patient interaction/relationship quality. Meanwhile, complaints by hospital-based doctors focused on EHRs reducing the amount of time they are able to spend with patients.

A researcher involved in the study suggests that these differences may be rooted in differences in how EHRs are taken and used in hospital environments and in office environments.

As this illustrates, office-based and hospital-based doctors might very quite a bit in what sorts of tools/methods might be able to help them with addressing the particular concerns they have on the impacts of EHRs on their interactions with patients. One wonders what kinds of developments and attempted improvements in the use of such records the future will see in these two care environments.

Source: Health Data Management, “EHR use interrupts doctor-patient connection,” Greg Slabodkin, July 6, 2017

FindLaw Network

Questions? Contact Me