Variability among specialty and primary care physicians in their methods of using and perceptions of electronic health records

Despite federal incentives for adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), surveys have shown that EHR use is less common among specialty physicians than generalists. Concerns have been raised that current-generation EHR systems are inadequate to meet the unique information gathering needs of specialists. This study sought to identify whether information gathering needs and EHR usage patterns are different between specialists and generalists, and if so, to characterize their precise nature. We found that specialists and generalists have significantly different methods of incorporating EHRs into clinical workflow, perceptions of which elements of the EHR are most important, and opinions regarding how well these systems are suited to the display of relevant clinical information. Resolution of these disparities could have implications for clinical productivity and efficiency, patient and physician satisfaction, and the ability of clinical practices to achieve Meaningful Use incentives.