The article discusses the impacts of Electronic Medical Records (EMR) utilization on the doctor-patient communication and relationship. The authors note that, although many physicians have embraced the use of these modern technologies in providing health care, many concerns have been raised on their reduced attention in attending to their patient. Most of these professionals, however, put more emphasis on ‘ipatient’ on their computers instead of physically visiting the ill individuals. Notably, while EMR was designed to assist doctors in doing their work, it has resulted into other negative behaviors such as preventing physicians from concentrating on their patients, reducing the relationship between the two parties and impeding their communication.
The authors’ study utilized different platforms including Ovid MEDLINE PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus in searching key terms that are related to relationship terminology, communication, and technology with the help of the biomedical librarian. The acquired data was systematically explored quantitatively by associating the methodology, people, and the outcomes. The results established that there were no changes in patient satisfaction, affiliation with physicians and communication from the increased use of EMR by doctors.
Focus of the Article
The article focuses on the perceived disadvantages of EMR usage on the physician-patient relationship. It further discusses the impact of increasing use of the modern technology in ensuring customer satisfaction and communication with doctors. The paper further analyses different secondary data to establish patients’ perception on the same subject under investigation.
Keywords and Definitions
Some of the keywords used include;
EMR- electronic medical records
Patient-doctor relationship- the interactive patterns between physicians and their clients
Communication- the tendency to interact with a different person or party.
Rationale
The authors aimed at establishing the influences of using EMR on patient-doctor communication and relationships. Moreover, they also purposed to establish how its limits other essential elements including patients’ perception, health outcomes, and patient satisfaction.
Participants and Methods Used in the Study
Different searches were made in platforms such as PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Additionally, reference and expert reviews between August 2013 and March 2015 were also shown. Other methods employed include the English language interventional studies.
Findings and Theories
The findings established that while some of the reviews noted a negative communication and relationship pattern between doctors and patients, most of them illustrated no variation in the overall patient satisfaction, relationship and communication with physicians. Furthermore, some of the patients stated that the EMR was essential in facilitating both communication and clarification processes as well as other patient-centered communication conducts.
There were no theories utilized in the entire research. However, the researchers consider patient-doctor relationships and communication as an essential aspect in promoting the provision of quality healthcare services.
Quotes and Uses
‘In order to provide patient-centered care in the digital age, it is critical to understand how EMR use impacts the quality of communication and the patient-doctor relationship.’ (p. 548)
‘A model that affirms that patient satisfaction with their doctor is an important marker in health care, and that patient compliance, health outcomes, perceptions of physician competence, and incidence of malpractice suits’. (p.548)
Use of the article- the paper elaborates some of the perceived impacts of modern technology on quality healthcare provision. It provides a compiled understanding of the importance of maintaining proper communication and relationships between patients and doctors. Therefore, the research can be used to provide more insights on how to improve the use of EMR in providing effective services in health facilities.
Works Cited
Alkureishi, Maria Alcocer, et al. "Impact of electronic medical record use on the patient–doctor relationship and communication: A systematic review." Journal of general internal medicine 31.5 (2016): 548-560.
