The integration of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) into the healthcare landscape has significantly reshaped physician workflows and prescribing behaviors. These platforms have transcended their basic function of digital record-keeping to become central to clinical decision-making and patient care management.
In fact, the topic is so broad that we created an in-depth research report on the profound impact EHRs have on the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery, from streamlining patient information access to influencing physicians' prescribing patterns through targeted pharmaceutical messaging. We’ve pulled out a few highlights below and encourage you to download the full report by clicking the banner below.
The impact of EHRs on Physician workflows
The impact of EHRs on the daily functioning of a healthcare provider and their staff cannot be overstated. Physicians spend an average of 4.5 hours daily working in their EHR system. This includes tasks such as viewing a patient's medical history and lab/test results, updating diagnoses, creating treatment plans, prescribing medications, and authorizing tests.
Physicians who use EHRs also spend an average of 1.84 hours using the system outside of the office each day. This indicates that EHRs have become an integral part of physicians' daily routine, even at home.
EHRs are crucial for physicians, in part, because they provide easy access to a patient's medical history, lab/test results, and other relevant information. This allows physicians to make informed decisions, create treatment plans, and prescribe medications more efficiently. What’s more, pharmaceutical companies can use EHRs to communicate important drug information, such as availability, prescribing guidelines, and access support. This helps keep physicians up-to-date and informed about the latest medications and treatment options.
Overall, EHRs have transformed the way physicians work by streamlining documentation, improving access to patient information, and facilitating communication between healthcare providers. However, it is important to note that the increased use of EHRs also comes with challenges, such as the potential for physician burnout and the need for efficient EHR systems that are user-friendly and minimize administrative burden.
Messaging affects prescribing behavior
Messaging to healthcare providers (HCPs) has been shown to have a significant impact on prescribing behavior. Several key findings about the effects of messaging are covered in detail in our report, but here are the high-level insights:
- Pharmaceutical messaging delivered to HCPs at the point of prescribing in the EHR provides them with information about available drugs without requiring them to search through literature on their own.
- Targeted messaging helps HCPs stay up-to-date on important drug information and adjust their prescribing accordingly.
- Messaging to HCPs increases awareness of available drugs, prescribing guidelines, and access support programs, which can lead to more informed prescribing decisions.
- Internal data from ConnectiveRx, a pharmaceutical messaging company, confirms the effectiveness of in-EHR messaging to prescribers. Analysis of recent messaging programs showed an average 11.9% increase in prescriptions when messages included formulary information.
- In-EHR messaging has also been shown in academic literature to change prescribing behavior. A study found that in-EHR clinician nudges had a positive effect on prescribing statin medications to eligible patients. The study showed a significant increase in statin prescriptions when clinicians were messaged, and an even greater increase when both clinicians and patients were messaged.
- Pharmaceutical companies, healthcare organizations, and other stakeholders use various forms of messaging to influence physicians' decisions regarding medication choices.
- Direct-to-patient messaging also delivers valuable benefits, such as increased patient awareness, adherence, and prescription fill rates.
Overcoming Challenges and Enhancing EHR Usability
Messaging to HCPs, especially within the EHR, has been proven to be an effective strategy for changing prescribing behavior. By providing relevant and timely information, pharmaceutical messaging helps HCPs make informed decisions and improve patient care.