Impact of Electronic Medical Records on Patient-Provider Communication

Abstract

Previous research found electronic medical records (EMRs) to have negative impact on patient-provider (PP) communication. However, very few studies were focused on specific age ranges especially young generation. The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the perception of young adults and healthcare providers regarding the effect of EMRs on PP interaction; and (2) investigate the use of cognitive modeling as an analytical tool to predict the impact of EMRs on PP communication. Findings suggested that young adults have positive opinion regarding the use of EMRs during outpatient visits. Cognitive task perfor-mance modeling has the potential to predict visual, cognitive, and motor demands associated with using EMRs. Future studies should be conducted to improve the generalizability of findings.