TY - JOUR
T1 - Perspectives of healthcare practitioners
T2 - An exploration of interprofessional communication using electronic medical records
AU - Bardach, Shoshana H.
AU - Real, Kevin
AU - Bardach, David R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2017/5/4
Y1 - 2017/5/4
N2 - Contemporary state-of-the-art healthcare facilities are incorporating technology into their building design to improve communication and patient care. However, technological innovations may also have unintended consequences. This study seeks to better understand how technology influences interprofessional communication within a hospital setting based in the United States. Nine focus groups were conducted including a range of healthcare professions. The focus groups explored practitioners’ experiences working on two floors of a newly designed hospital and included questions about the ways in which technology shaped communication with other healthcare professionals. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify themes. Participant responses focused on the electronic medical record, and while some benefits of the electronic medical record were discussed, participants indicated use of the electronic medical record has resulted in a reduction of in-person communication. Different charting approaches resulted in barriers to communication between specialties and reduced confidence that other practitioners had received one’s notes. Limitations in technology—including limited computer availability, documentation complexity, and sluggish sign-in processes—also were identified as barriers to effective and timely communication between practitioners. Given the ways in which technology shapes interprofessional communication, future research should explore how to create standardised electronic medical record use across professions at the optimal level to support communication and patient care.
AB - Contemporary state-of-the-art healthcare facilities are incorporating technology into their building design to improve communication and patient care. However, technological innovations may also have unintended consequences. This study seeks to better understand how technology influences interprofessional communication within a hospital setting based in the United States. Nine focus groups were conducted including a range of healthcare professions. The focus groups explored practitioners’ experiences working on two floors of a newly designed hospital and included questions about the ways in which technology shaped communication with other healthcare professionals. All focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify themes. Participant responses focused on the electronic medical record, and while some benefits of the electronic medical record were discussed, participants indicated use of the electronic medical record has resulted in a reduction of in-person communication. Different charting approaches resulted in barriers to communication between specialties and reduced confidence that other practitioners had received one’s notes. Limitations in technology—including limited computer availability, documentation complexity, and sluggish sign-in processes—also were identified as barriers to effective and timely communication between practitioners. Given the ways in which technology shapes interprofessional communication, future research should explore how to create standardised electronic medical record use across professions at the optimal level to support communication and patient care.
KW - Focus groups
KW - interprofessional collaboration
KW - interprofessional communication
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85011559220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85011559220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13561820.2016.1269312
DO - 10.1080/13561820.2016.1269312
M3 - Article
C2 - 28151026
AN - SCOPUS:85011559220
SN - 1356-1820
VL - 31
SP - 300
EP - 306
JO - Journal of Interprofessional Care
JF - Journal of Interprofessional Care
IS - 3
ER -