Divide between hospital and primary care sectors

The first large-scale study of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) usability in Australia has found nursing and medical professionals have differing experiences depending on where they work. Led by Griffith University, the study published in The International Journal of Medical Informatics captured views from medical, nursing and allied health professionals across the acute, primary and community care sectors. Research partners included Monash University, Royal Melbourne Hospital, the University of Wollongong and the Australasian Institute of Digital Health. Results showed technical and quality features were more positively experienced by doctors in the primary care sector than nurses, as well as ease of obtaining patient information and prevention of errors. In the hospital sector, nurses' experiences with EMRs were more positive with regards to support for routine task completion, learnability, ease of obtaining patient information and entry of patient data. Medical professional respondents working in the hospital sector were less satisfied with usability features than their primary care counterparts (routine task completion, prevention of errors, medication mistakes, patient data). "Usability features of information exchange and collaboration for clinicians across services and with patients is critical to reduce complications such as missed care, medication errors, compliance, and re-presentation,'' said Dr Sheree Lloyd from Griffith University's School of Applied Psychology.