Why physicians are reluctant to embrace digital health

I am often wondering why the adoption of digital health is so slow despite the obvious benefits to both patients and physicians. Successful adoption of digital health in practice will require active engagement from both physicians and patients, not the least when they can partner around all aspects of continuous care for the patient.

We should examine why not all physicians are so excited about digital health - and why many even are resistant.

A new study mentioned in Reuters Health (Sept. 7) may provide some of the explanation for doctors being hesitant to embrace digital health.

The study, done by Dr. Christine Sinsky, VP of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association, analyzed data collected on 57 physicians in four U.S. states and found that doctors spend 27 percent of their time interacting directly with patients and 49 percent of their time on EHRs and desk work. In other words, for every hour a doctor spends treating a patient during a typical workday, he or she devotes nearly two more hours to maintaining electronic health records and clerical work.

Many claim that electronic medical records may fuel physician burnout. Others have pointed to how EHRs have disrupted the typical workflow in a medical practice.

EHRs are here to stay, but more efforts should be devoted to ensuring that electronic record-keeping becomes an enabler of better medicine and reduces the clerical work so that doctors can spend more time with their patients.

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN11D29F