Background
The need for the study
In the face of rapidly increasing healthcare costs, associated with an aging population and the concomitant rise in chronic illnesses [1], governments in developed countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada have felt obliged to improve the efficiency and effectiveness with which primary medical care is provided to their citizens. This has led, for instance, to a greater emphasis on the prevention and monitoring roles played by family physicians and other healthcare professionals [2]. Another important effect has been the deployment of information technology (IT) in support of the incremental and radical changes made by these governments to their healthcare systems. Of all the IT-based applications currently in use in primary care settings, electronic medical records(EMR) have the most wide-ranging capabilities [3] and thus the greatest potential for enhancing health care services. An EMR can be defined as a computerized system where physicians record relevant information such as patient demographics, medical histories, consultation notes, lists of problems, allergies, vaccinations, vital signs, and prescriptions/renewals [4]. Some EMR systems may also contain other functionalities such as automated alerts, medical appointments and reminders. In short, an EMR system is designed to support the needs of individual physicians who are directly caring for patients in their medical practicesa. A recent survey conducted by the Commonwealth Funds revealed high adoption rates of EMRs by family physicians in New Zealand, Australia and several European countries, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Germany [5]. So the potential value of these systems seems to be widely recognized, yet prior research shows that significant challenges remain before such benefits can be reaped. Recent systematic reviews on this topic found either inconclusive or mixed effects of EMR systems on performance outcomes.For instance, Lau et al. [6] concluded that, based on prior empirical studies, there is a 51% chance that an EMR system will improve office practices, a 30% likelihood that it will have no effect, and a 19% chance that it will lead to negative outcomes. Similarly, Holroyd-Leduc et al. [7] found that while EMR systems appear to have clear advantages over traditional paper-based records in terms of
legibility and accessibility, effects on work processes (e.g., quality of care, individual efficiency and productivity) and clinical outcomes (e.g., blood pressure control, glycemic control) have not yet been found. Previous research reveals that the lack of perceived
benefits from EMRs may be at least partially attributed to underutilization of these systems by physicians, which may be related to users’ attitudes toward EMRs. For instance, Miller and Sim [3], who conducted interviews with several EMR users, observed that attaining benefits depends heavily on physicians’ use of EMR functionalities. More recently, Price et al.’s [8] qualitative analysis showed there are “ceiling effects” to EMR use in primary care practices owing to numerous factors, including a lack of awareness or availability of EMR functionalities to support clinical work as well as the poor usability of these systems. Similarly, Bouamrane and Mair [9], who also carried out in-depth interviews with general practitioners, concluded that there remains substantial scope for improving family physicians’ interactions and overall
satisfaction with these systems. In light of these findings, the present study examines how EMR systems are actually being used by family physicians, which system design characteristics influence physicians’ usage patterns, and the extent to which EMR use is associated (or not) with particular performance benefits. More specifically, we sought answers to the following research questions: 1) How can the use of EMR systems by family physicians in medical practices
best be characterized? 2) To what extent does the use of an EMR system by family physicians, as well as their satisfaction with the system’s functionalities, influence performance benefits? and 3) Do the design characteristics of a specific EMR system determine the extent to which family physicians use the system and are satisfied with it?