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BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
Published in: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Improving performance in medical practices through the extended use of electronic medical record systems: a survey of Canadian family physicians

Authors: Louis Raymond, Guy Paré, Ana Ortiz de Guinea, Placide Poba-Nzaou, Marie-Claude Trudel, Josianne Marsan, Thomas Micheneau

Published in: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Numerous calls have been made for greater assimilation of information technology in healthcare organizations in general, and in primary care settings in particular. Considering the levels of IT investment and adoption in primary care medical practices, a deeper understanding is needed of the factors leading to greater performance outcomes from EMR systems in primary care. To address this issue, we developed and tested a research model centered on the concept of Extended EMR Use.

Methods

An online survey was conducted of 331 family physicians in Canadian private medical practices to empirically test seven research hypotheses using a component-based structural equation modeling approach.

Results

Five hypotheses were partially or fully supported by our data. Family physicians in our sample used 67% of the clinical and 41% of the communicational functionalities available in their EMR systems, compared to 90% of the administrative features. As expected, extended use was associated with significant improvements in perceived performance benefits. Interestingly, the benefits derived from system use were mainly tied to the clinical support provided by an EMR system. The extent to which physicians were using their EMR systems was influenced by two system design characteristics: functional coverage and ease of use. The more functionalities that are available in an EMR system and the easier they are to use, the greater the potential for exploration, assimilation and appropriation by family physicians.

Conclusions

Our study has contributed to the extant literature by proposing a new concept: Extended EMR Use. In terms of its practical implications, our study reveals that family physicians must use as many of the capabilities supported by their EMR system as possible, especially those which support clinical tasks, if they are to maximize its performance benefits. To ensure extended use of their software, vendors must develop EMR systems that satisfy two important design characteristics: functional coverage and system ease of use.
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Metadata
Title
Improving performance in medical practices through the extended use of electronic medical record systems: a survey of Canadian family physicians
Authors
Louis Raymond
Guy Paré
Ana Ortiz de Guinea
Placide Poba-Nzaou
Marie-Claude Trudel
Josianne Marsan
Thomas Micheneau
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1472-6947
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-015-0152-8

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