Refining vendor-defined measures to accurately quantify ehr workload outside time scheduled with patients

Abstract

Accurately quantifying clinician time spent on electronic health record (EHR) activities outside the time scheduled with patients is critical for understanding occupational stress associated with ambulatory clinic environments. We make 3 recommendations regarding EHR workload measures that are intended to capture time working in the EHR outside time scheduled with patients, formally defined as work outside of work (WOW): (1) separate all time working in the EHR outside of time scheduled with patients from time working in the EHR during time scheduled with patients, (2) do not exclude any time before or after scheduled time with patients, and (3) encourage the EHR vendor and research communities to develop and standardize validated, vendor-agnostic methods for measuring active EHR use. Attributing all EHR work outside time scheduled with patients to WOW, regardless of when it occurs, will produce an objective and standardized measure better suited for use in efforts to reduce burnout, set policy, and facilitate research.