Keywords
electronic health records - interdisciplinary teams - interprofessional practice -
hospitals
Background and Significance
Background and Significance
The past decade has seen widespread adoption of digital health technologies aiming
to enable safer, high quality, more equitable and sustainable health care while also
improving patient and clinician experience.[1] A major example of digital health technology in the clinical setting is the implementation
of the electronic health record (EHR), often synonymous with the term electronic medical
records (EMRs).[2] This computerization of medical records has had a major impact on the way clinicians
work, communicate, and support patient's goals of care.[3]
Interprofessional practice has been highlighted as a promising area to improve patient
experience, integrated care, and efficiency of health services.[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11] However, definitions of interprofessional practice have been inconsistent and ambiguous
within the literature.[7] The framework by Xyrichis et al[12] has been used in this review to define interprofessional practice as four key interprofessional
activities: teamwork, collaboration, coordination, and networking. As interprofessional
networking is a recent concept and not commonly described within the context of interprofessional
practice literature, we have replaced this term with communication. Communication
is an essential element of teamwork underpinned by the relational coordination theory,
where effective coordination of work tasks and work relationships is reliant on effective
communication.[13]
[14]
[15]
The premise of interprofessional practice is to create high performing teams that
collaborate on patient care to improve health outcomes and health care integration.[11] It is recommended to “strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes.”[11]
[16] Common interventions to improve interprofessional practice involve training and
education, structured checklists or communication tools, and the design of work environments.[17]
[18] Despite widespread agreements on its importance, research to date has been hampered
by heterogenous outcome measures and small sample sizes, leading to inconclusive evidence
to support improved quality of patient care.[18] More rigorous studies are required.[19]
The hospital environment is a busy and complex setting and often multiple health professionals
are involved in a patient's care. Effective communication amongst clinicians is essential,
with communication breakdowns as one of the key preventable aspects of health care
that can be mitigated via team training and team performance.[8]
[20] The delivery of high quality patient care relies on the ability of interdisciplinary
teams to work together to achieve patient goals and improve patient outcomes.[4]
[6]
[8]
[16]
[21]
[22]
[23]
[24] Each discipline involved in a patient's care is mutually dependent on the other.[21]
[23]
[25]
An interesting and pervasive consequence of the EHR is its change to communication
and interprofessional practice amongst clinicians. As digital aspects of health care
have increased, face to face communication amongst professions has decreased.[26]
[27]
[28]
[29] Health professionals were used to gathering around the paper chart for documentation
which allowed informal and unplanned communication amongst team members.[30] Now, data can be accessed from any place at any time, providing convenience, however,
also resulting in team separateness.[31]
[32] It is reported that some clinicians feel the EHR creates an “illusion of communication”
through extensive documentation, however, their clinical notes are not read by other
clinicians and therefore not acted upon.[33]
Despite the challenges presented, leveraging the EHR to support key activities of
interprofessional practice such as communication and collaboration appears to be expanding.[34] “Customization” or modifications of EHRs such as dashboards or clinical decision
support systems enhance the potential of EHRs to improve clinical care.[35] Studies investigating EHR enhancements (e.g., secure messaging systems) have demonstrated
benefits such as enhanced communication, reduce cognitive workload, and improved clinician
performance.[36] However, uptake of these enhancements remains challenging.[35]
[36]
[37]
The motivation for this study is that few studies to date have focused on the impact
of the EHR on interprofessional teams. In addition to limited knowledge on this topic,
studies that have been completed provide a piecemeal view, that is, investigating
effects of the EHR on one discipline only such as doctors or nurses, or focusing on
one element of interprofessional practice such as coordination of patient care.[26]
[27]
[34]
[38]
[39]
[40]
[41]
[42]
[43]
[44] The EHR has the potential to improve interprofessional practice, however, conflicting
results are found within the literature, with disconnected teams and “information
overload.”[32]
Objectives
The objective of this review was to identify, describe, and evaluate studies on the
effect of an EHR, or enhancement to an EHR on interprofessional practice in an inpatient
hospital setting.
Methods
This systematic review has been conducted using the PRISMA guidelines[45] and was registered in PROSPERO on May 07, 2021 (CRD42021247103).
Information Sources and Search Strategy
Databases searched include PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science,
and ACM Digital Library. Included study designs were randomized controlled trials,
non-randomized controlled trials, controlled before–after studies, observational studies,
mixed methods, and qualitative study designs. Subject heading and title/abstract searches
were undertaken for the search concepts: “interprofessional” AND “electronic health
records” AND “hospital, personnel.”
An academic librarian assisted in the search strategy string to extract relevant publications
related to outcomes of interprofessional practice in using an EHR system or enhancement
to an EHR in an inpatient hospital setting. Initially, databases were searched up
to the 12th of March 2021. No publication date limit was applied as the timing of implementation
of EHRs internationally varies widely. Reference lists were hand searched to identify
further relevant publications. The search strategy was then re-applied to all databases
from the 12th of March to November 1st, 2021 to capture the most recent publications. Reverse snowballing via Google Scholar
was used to identify more recent articles that cited relevant studies. The search
strategy is available in [Appendix A].
Table 1
Systematic review inclusion criteria
|
Inclusion criteria
|
Population
|
Interdisciplinary, i.e., involving two or more professions (e.g., medical, nursing,
allied health, IT)
|
Inpatient setting within a hospital using EHR
|
Intervention of Interest
|
Effect of an inpatient EHR or EHR enhancement on interprofessional practice
|
Comparison
|
Routine care, i.e., prior to implementation/use of EHR or enhancement or paper-based
record
|
Outcome measure
|
Outcomes can be any measure of:
|
• Teamwork
• Collaboration
• Coordination
• Communication
• Staff perception of communication/teamwork/coordination
|
Study design
|
RCTs, non-RCTs, before-after studies, observational studies, qualitative studies
Excluded: opinion pieces, unpublished studies, conference abstracts
|
Publication date
|
No limit
|
Language
|
English
|
Abbreviations: EHR, electronic health record; IT, information technology; RCT, randomized
controlled trial.
Study Eligibility Criteria
Eligible studies included were those conducted in an inpatient hospital setting with
the main intervention as the EHR or modification/enhancement to the EHR. Outcome measures
reported on teamwork, communication, coordination, collaboration, or staff perceptions
of these. Studies involving patient-specific outcomes were excluded. The study selection
criteria are outline in [Table 1].
Study Selection
Search results were exported to EndNote where duplicates were removed. A two-stage
review system was used: stage one involved two independent reviewers (S.T.R., I.C.M.R.)
screening the title and abstracts of publications against the inclusion criteria.
Conflicts were resolved by discussion and consensus voting. Stage two involved two
independent reviewers (S.T.R., S.G.B.) reviewing the remaining publications in full-text.
Again, conflicts were discussed and resolved between the two reviewers. The Covidence
program was used to screen articles and data extraction was performed manually using
a template outlining study demographics, population and setting, methods, participants,
intervention groups, outcomes, and results.
Quality Assessment
The Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs (QATSDD) was used to
determine risk of bias.[46] Two reviewers (S.T.R., I.C.M.R.) independently used the tool for each of the included
publications. As the publications were spread across quantitative (n = 7), qualitative (n = 5), and mixed methods (n = 5) study designs, the QATSDD was deemed most suitable. Reviewers score 16 items
on a scale of 0 to 3; 14 of the criteria are applicable to quantitative/qualitative
study designs but all 16 items are applicable to mixed study designs. Reviewers then
count the scores and calculate a percentage based on the total number scored (out
of 42 for quantitative/qualitative studies and 48 for mixed method study designs).
Higher scores indicate higher quality research.
Reporting and Analysis
Due to the heterogeneity of interventions described, outcome measures used, and the
observational nature of the study designs, a meta-analysis was not possible. We have
provided a narrative synthesis of the findings structured around the type of intervention
(EHR or EHR enhancement) and classification of outcome investigated (e.g., communication,
coordination, collaboration, teamwork). The effect of the EHR or EHR enhancement was
categorized into positive, negative, or neutral/no effect for each outcome measure
reported in the studies ([Appendix B]). Studies could include one or more of the outcome measures within the same classification
group (i.e., a study may measure communication in a variety of ways) therefore reporting
of both positive and negative results was possible for each outcome. Inductive analysis
by one researcher was performed on all publications to gain further insight into reasons
for positive or negative results.
Table 2
Key features of included publications
Author/
Year/
Country
|
Study design
|
Population and setting
|
Intervention
|
Outcome measure
|
Effect (+/ -/ ∼)
|
Significant results/conclusions
|
Study quality QATSDD[a]
|
Abraham et al 2019
United States[47]
|
Prospective, non-randomized pre-post study design
|
Twenty-seven participants (medical and pharmacy) across two teams participated in
169 patients rounds at an academic medical center.
|
EHRE: EHR integrated Rounding Report Tool (RRT)
Comparator: Microsoft Word fillable rounding tool (usual tool)
|
Communication:
Clinical content discussed
Questions raised
Breakdowns in interactive communication
|
+ Positive effect on communication
|
Fewer questions (RRT = 7.5 (6.4), usual =10.6 (6.9), p = 0.03), and fewer incorrect responses when using RRT (RRT =0.07 [0.4], usual = 0.6
[1.3], p = 0.01); no differences for missing information between the two tools (RRT = 0.5
[0.9], usual = 0.6 [0.7], p = 0.5).
Quality of interactive communication was improved with the RRT with fewer interruptions
through questions, and fewer incorrect responses to questions.
|
69%
|
Asan et al
2018
United States[52]
|
Cross sectional concurrent mixed methods study design
|
Thirty-six participants: 19 medical and 27 nurse practitioners (NPs) in the pediatric
intensive care unit (PICU)
|
EHRE: Large Customizable Interactive Monitor (LCIM) in each patient room; data updated
from EHR; view only
|
Perceived usefulness
Perceived ease of use
User satisfaction
|
+ Positive effect on communication
∼ No effect on coordination
|
Improved sharing of information with care team (score 2.65; range 0–6); 70% responses
showed “moderate amount/quite a lot”
Low effect on organization for each patient (score 1.79; range 0–6); 58% responses
showed “not at all/a little.”
The LCIM was perceived primarily positive by PICU medical and NPs, both for themselves
and the patients and families.
|
79%
|
Ash et al
2003
United States[53]
|
Multisite qualitative study design
|
Participant observations, focus groups and interviews across three hospital facilities:
72 clinicians (unspecified)
Eight IT staff
Seven administrators
|
EHR: Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)
“a process that allows direct entering of medical orders”
|
Staff perspectives of success factors for implementing CPOE
|
+ Positive effect on communication
- Negative effect on coordination
|
Improved legibility with CPOE
Medical and nursing communication positively changed as a result of CPOE (more interdependent).
Lack of integration of various IT systems (e.g., CPOE with laboratory results) reduced
coordination as information not accessible in a single place.
|
83%
|
Cheng and South 2020
Australia[54]
|
Retrospective cross sectional study design
|
Usage audit of all users of the Electronic Task Management (ETM) system in a pediatric
hospital
|
EHRE: ETM system allows requesting and resolution of nonurgent tasks between all clinicians
|
Usage:
type of task, urgency of task, requestor role, and time to completion
|
+ Positive effect on communication
|
Majority of tasks were ordered by nurses for medical staff to complete (97.1%)
A high level of closed-loop feedback with 77.4% of all tasks marked as completed within
their requested timeframe and all tasks eventually completed.
Widespread adoption and a key platform for nursing-medical clinical communication.
|
45%
|
Dalal et al
2017
USA[55]
|
Observational study design
|
Usage audit of all users of the microblog in a medical intensive care unit and 2 non-critical
care units and
participant survey:
21 medical
7 nursing
1 care coordinator
|
EHRE: “Microblog” messaging platform to view, contribute, and communicate plans of
care via a single forum and synchronization with EHR
|
Usage and messaging activity
Useful features and barriers
|
+/− Mixed effects on communication
+ Positive effect on coordination
|
82.8% agreed that the microblog allowed transparent conversation that all care team
members can view.
Barriers were the availability of other messaging modalities (e.g., pagers, email,
texting), poor awareness of the system, and inability to communicate with out-of-network
providers.
49.4% of messages discussed care coordination; 27.2% of messages discussed care team
collaboration; 65.5% respondents stated that the application was useful for improving
plan of care concordance.
|
55%
|
Goldman et al 2012 Canada[56]
|
Prospective mixed methods case study design
|
Usage audit (non-identifiable data) in a colposcopy clinic in large teaching hospital
and 24 participant interviews:
eight medical
10 nursing
six IT
|
EHRE: Colposcopy Information System (CIS), cumulative electronic note on patient history,
examination, treatment plans to view on one screen
|
Usage/uptake of CIS by staff
Staff perceptions of CIS
|
+/− Mixed effects on communication
+/− Mixed effects on coordination
|
Positive: system prompts prevented clinicians from forgetting to input important information.
Mixed: physicians were unsure if nurses were taking patients histories accurately.
Negative: interprofessional communication time increased.
Positive: visibility of information.
Negative: unclear responsibility for inputting the data and coordination of care.
|
44%
|
Hertzum and Simonsen 2008
Denmark[48]
|
Mixed methods pre-post intervention
|
Observation and survey of medical and nursing staff in an acute stroke unit who attend
team conferences, ward rounds, and nursing handovers.
|
EHR: Electronic patient record trial in an acute stroke unit for 5 d Comparator: paper-based
records
|
Mental workload
Missing pieces of information
Importance assigned to tasks
Responsibility for tasks.
|
+ Positive effect on coordination (medical).
∼ No effect on coordination (nursing)
+ General positive effect on coordination
|
Medical: Clarity of the importance of assigned work tasks and responsibility for tasks
significantly improved while mental workload reduced with use of EHR compared with
paper.
Nursing: No difference in clarity about plan of care for nursing of the patient or
for the medical treatment of the patient and no change in mental workload.
Reduction in missing pieces of information (0.90 with paper records and only 0.17
with EPR) and messages to pass on with EHR compared with paper.
|
48%
|
Hyde and Murphy
2012
USA[49]
|
Pre post pilot study
|
Pre-post survey of nursing and ancillary staff (PT, pharmacy, nutrition, respiratory
therapy, case management, social work) in a 28-bed medical-surgical department
|
EHRE: Computerized clinical care pathway
Comparator: paper-based care plan
|
Staff perceptions
Documentation
|
+ Positive effect on communication
+ Positive effect on teamwork
|
“Communication of information from the clinical pathway during shift report (patient
hand-off)” 34% increase (28% paper n = 29 to 62% electronic n = 21).
“Documentation by ancillary staff on the pathway” 31% increase (60% paper n = 15 to 91% electronic n = 23).
“The clinical pathway allows for a multidisciplinary approach to patient care” 24%
increase (71% paper n = 34 to 95% electronic n = 22).
|
21%
|
Lloyd et al
2021
Australia[57]
|
Observational study
|
Participant survey of 297 medical and nursing staff from both hospital and primary
care
|
EHR: Electronic health record
|
Clinician perceptions on usability,
technical quality, ease of use, benefits, collaboration
|
+ Positive effect on collaboration
+ Positive effect on communication
|
Of 199 respondents specific to hospital setting (n = 143 medical, n = 56 nursing), 62.1% of medical and 72% of nursing staff agreed that the EHR supports
collaboration and information exchange between clinicians in the same services.
|
67%
|
Morrison et al 2008
UK[50]
|
Qualitative observational pre-post study
|
Participant observation and video analysis of ward rounds in ICU: medical, nursing
and allied health including pharmacy, dietetics and physiotherapy.
Participant interviews of 7 medical and nursing staff
|
EHR: Electronic patient record
(Metavision)
|
Interaction between members of a multidisciplinary team during ward rounds
|
-Negative effect on communication and collaboration
∼ No effect when strategies to mitigate were implemented
|
Physical setup of the EHR (group formation, non-verbal behavior, access to patient
data, and reaction to patient data) decreased interaction or openness of discussion,
resulting in staff having less understanding of the patient goals.
The easy access to information that the EHR provided did not encourage the usual trading
of information that stimulates multidisciplinary interaction.
|
45%
|
Munoz et al 2014
USA[58]
|
Mixed methods observational study
|
Participant survey of 4 medical and 16 nursing staff in a pediatric intensive care
unit (PICU)
|
EHR: Electronic health record
|
Workflow issues impacting on efficiency and satisfaction (tasks, activities, and barriers)
|
- Negative effect on communication
∼/- No effect or negative effect on coordination
|
Three main areas of dissatisfaction in information flow: IT system, communication,
and coordination.
The IT system was perceived to have a negative impact on communication and coordination.
75% medical and 50% nursing staff believe the information flow in the EHR needs to
be improved.
|
36%
|
Nelson et al 2017
USA[59]
|
Ethnographic qualitative research design
|
Participant observation: medical, nursing and medical assistants in a hospital emergency
department (ED)
Participant interviews: medical and nursing leadership
|
EHRE: eSignout (electronic handoff tool) for automatic signout information and patient
transfer from ED to medical ward
|
Social elements of clinical and organizational interactions of the key stakeholders
with eSignout
|
+ Positive effect on coordination
+ Positive effect on communication
+ Positive effect on collaboration
+ Positive effect on teamwork
|
eSignout largely replaced verbal communication for handoffs leading to reduced disruption
to workflows.
When verbal communications were required, they were relevant, patient-centered, and
succinct.
eSignout allowed staff to gain a more coherent picture of the patient, improving communication
and care for patients.
Teamwork and collaboration improved through increased mutual respect and a shared
understanding of clinician's respective time pressures
|
45%
|
Rogers et al 2013
USA[51]
|
Pre-post study design
|
Documentation audit; comparing medical and nursing documentation pre and post implementation
in an acute hospital setting
|
EHRE: Electronic tool to identify, communicate and document Present On Admission (POA)
Pressure Ulcers (PrUs)
|
Communication and documentation of POA PrUs
|
∼ No effect on communication
|
The implementation of the electronic prompt did not contribute to the improvement
in the communication process between the admitting physicians and the clinical nurses
because the improvement in POA PrUs rates occurred before the EHR prompt intervention.
|
29%
|
Samal et al
2016
USA[60]
|
Qualitative study design
|
29 participants: clinicians and information technology professionals from six regions
chosen as national leaders in HIT
|
EHR: Health Information Technology (HIT) specifically focused on EHR
|
Care coordination: patient level, provider level and systems level
|
+ Positive effect on coordination (patient level)
∼/- No effect/ negative effect on coordination
(provider level)
+/− Mixed effect on coordination
(system level)
|
Positive uses of HIT to “assess patients' needs and goals,” “monitor, follow-up and
respond to change” and some examples of HIT to “support patients' self-management
goals.” HIT was occasionally used in “establishing accountability” and “communication”
however, processes were inefficient and had a negative impact on information transfer
due to lack of interoperability.
|
79%
|
Sidlow and Katz-Sidlow
2006
USA[61]
|
Cross sectional observational pilot study
|
Participant survey of 19 nurses on a general medical acute care unit
|
EHRE: Electronic sign-out tool
|
Communication between nursing and medical staff
|
+ Positive effect on communication
+ Positive effect on coordination
|
Communication between medical and nursing staff improved—score 4.6 (where 5 greatly
improved and 1 worsened). Coordination improved by nurses' access to the sign-out
tool allowing development of an accurate daily nursing plan of care – score 4.3.
|
29%
|
Varpio et al 2009
Canada[43]
|
Qualitative study
|
Participant observation of 9 medical and 62 nursing staff in one ward of a pediatric
hospital
Interviews: 9 medical and 11 nursing staff
|
EHR: Electronic patient records
|
Interprofessional communication strategy
|
∼/- No effect/ negative effect on communication
∼/- No effect/ negative effect on collaboration
|
34% of communication mediated by the EHR resulted in a workaround: 6/44 workarounds
Participants intentionally stopped using the system as it impeded workflow; 30/44
workarounds participants deliberately compromised their work patterns to adopt pathways
allowed by the system.
Senior medical staff were more likely to display a heightened awareness of the interprofessional
effects of workarounds compared with junior staff.
|
81%
|
Ward et al
2012
USA[62]
|
Prospective, nonexperimental evaluation study
|
840 participant surveys:
48 medical
341 nursing
451 other clinical
across 7 hospitals
|
EHR: Clinical information system of EHR and CPOE
|
Perception of communication and information flow
|
∼ No effect on communication
|
Staff perceptions of communication were not affected with implementation of the EHR:
“Communication between medical and hospital staff is adequate to meet patient care
needs” Baseline 4.7 (1.2); Pre-implementation 4.7 (1.0); post implementation 4.6 (1.2)
|
52%
|
Abbreviations: EHR, electronic health record; EHRE, electronic health record enhancement.
a Authors of the QATSDD tool suggest that scores >60% are considered at low risk of
bias.[46]
Results
Overall, the database searches generated 5,400 publications, with 3,255 remaining
after duplicates were removed. The majority of publications (n = 3,090, [Fig. 1]) were excluded as the EHR was not the main intervention or the publication did not
examine the impact of the EHR on interprofessional practice outcomes. Based on title/abstract
screening, 164 publications were selected for full text review with one additional
paper identified through hand searching; 148 were excluded. A total of 17 publications
met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. [Fig. 1] illustrates the combined search strategy results and reasons for exclusion.
Fig. 1 Search strategy results flowchart.
[Table 2] outlines key study characteristics. The 17 publications that met the inclusion criteria
consisted of five non-randomized pre–post studies[47]
[48]
[49]
[50]
[51] and 12 observational studies.[43]
[52]
[53]
[54]
[55]
[56]
[57]
[58]
[59]
[60]
[61]
[62] Of the 17 studies, only six were considered at a low risk of bias[43]
[47]
[52]
[53]
[57]
[60] ([Appendix C]). One study by Rogers[51] reported results that were inconclusive, therefore these results are presented in
[Table 2], although excluded from the narrative synthesis. Interprofessional practice was
assessed mostly via observation and/or interview data (n = 10). Of the studies using only a survey as their measurement tool (n = 4), few survey questions related directly to our study aim therefore results were
analyzed based only on related questions (ranging from one to four questions). The
majority of studies (n = 10) involved two interprofessional disciplines, e.g., medicine and nursing compared
with greater than two types of interprofessional disciplines (n = 7). Medicine and nursing were the most frequent disciplines participating in the
studies.
Table 3
Effect of the intervention on interprofessional practice outcomes
|
Total studies
n (%)
|
Effect
|
Overall outcomes
f (%)
|
Outcome of communication
f (%)
|
Outcome of coordination
f (%)
|
Outcome of collaboration
f (%)
|
Outcome of teamwork
f (%)
|
EHR
|
8 (47)
|
Positive
|
8 (26)
|
2 (13)
|
5 (42)
|
1 (25)
|
0
|
Negative
|
9 (29)
|
4 (27)
|
4 (33)
|
1 (25)
|
0
|
No effect
|
14 (45)
|
9 (60)
|
3 (25)
|
2 (50)
|
0
|
EHRE
|
9 (53)
|
Positive
|
20 (71)
|
13 (68)
|
3 (60)
|
2 (100)
|
2 (100)
|
Negative
|
5 (18)
|
4 (21)
|
1 (20)
|
0
|
0
|
No effect
|
3 (11)
|
2 (11)
|
1 (20)
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
17
|
|
59
|
34
|
17
|
6
|
2
|
Abbreviations: EHR, electronic health record; EHRE, electronic health record enhancement;
f, frequency of outcome; n, number of studies.
Of the 17 publications, 47% investigated the EHR and 53% investigated the effect of
an EHR enhancement. Studies investigating the EHR found some positive effects on interprofessional
practice (8/31 outcomes; 26%), although most showed no effect (14/31 outcomes; 45%).
EHR enhancements demonstrated a more positive trend on outcomes (20/28 outcomes, 71%),
with positive findings distributed across communication, coordination, collaboration,
and teamwork ([Table 3]). Studies on the EHR ranged from publication in the year 2003 to 2016 and studies
on EHR enhancements were published in 2006 to 2021.
Communication was the most studied outcome measure for both EHR and EHR enhancements
(f = 34; 58%). The majority of EHR studies showed no effect on communication (f = 9; 60%) in comparison to studies investigating EHR enhancements demonstrating positive
effects on communication (f = 13; 68%). Coordination of care was mainly studied amongst EHRs. There were mixed
effects of the impact on coordination amongst teams with both the EHR and EHR enhancements.
Few studies investigated the specific outcomes of collaboration or teamwork.
EHR enhancements included a variety of intervention tools that were incorporated into
the EHR (as described in [Table 2]). Three of the EHR enhancement tools were designed specifically for interprofessional
communication, for example, communicating outstanding tasks, discussing plans of care
for patients, and highlighting patient priorities to team members.[54]
[55]
[61] Five of the EHR enhancement tools were more focused on sharing patient information,
for example, computerized care plans or automated templates for documentation or handover.[47]
[49]
[52]
[56]
[59] Studies often reported mixed findings, for example, Dalal et al[55] investigated a microblog messaging platform which demonstrated improved team communication,
coordination, and collaboration through improved visibility of information by all
team members, however, negative impacts to communication through the inability to
use this system with clinicians outside the hospital environment.
Despite mixed results, most outcome measures evaluated the impact of the EHR/ EHR
enhancement on communication and coordination. Common concepts were noted for both
positive and negative results: (1) sharing of information, (2) visibility of information,
(3) closed-loop feedback, (4) decision support, and (5) workflow disruptions.
Sharing of Information
There were mixed findings reported on the ability to share information in studies
investigating an EHR. In a recent Australian survey of clinicians using an EHR, 62.1%
of doctors and 72% of nursing staff in hospitals across Australia agreed upon EHRs
supporting collaboration and information exchange between clinicians in the same services.[57] Conversely, a study conducted in the United Kingdom in 2014 reported that the IT
system (EHR) was perceived to have a negative impact on communication and coordination.[58] Furthermore, a U.S. study of nine critical access hospitals in North Iowa showed
no effect of a new EHR on communication between hospital staff before and after implementation,
with relatively high rates of clinician satisfaction regarding communication and information
transfer with both paper-based records and EHRs.[62]
Publications that reported on EHR enhancements found more positive benefits associated
with the ability to share information. In a study investigating a customizable touchscreen
monitor and display (LCIM), which receives data from the EHR, 70% of doctors and nurse
practitioners stated that the LCIM monitor improved sharing of information with the
care team.[52] The ability for the EHR to share information amongst professions was also demonstrated
through an electronic sign-out tool intervention.[61] Although this tool was initially used by doctors to handover salient clinical information
during medical shift changes, the ability for nursing staff to use this tool in their
own clinical practice improved information exchange and communication across professions.[61]
Visibility of Information
Multiple studies described the value of team members being able to view the communication
and interactions of other professions via the EHR.[52]
[55]
[56]
[58] Sixty percent of doctors and nurse practitioners viewing the LCIM[52] felt this tool was useful in their ward rounds in the pediatric intensive care unit
setting and aided in their clinical work. Similarly, survey responses evaluating a
“microblog” messaging platform showed that 82.8% of interdisciplinary team members
agreed that a valuable feature of the platform was the “transparent conversation that
all team members can view.”[55] In contrast, the study by Morrison et al describes the struggle for health professionals
to adequately display the clinical information when engaging in an ICU ward round.
Physical set up of the health care team around the EHR system during ward rounds impacted
the ability to view and therefore interact with discussions about the patient, i.e.,
the study suggests a physical change to formation of the team around the EHR in a
horseshoe format to allow all members of the team to see the EHR data as well as each
other.[50]
Closed-Loop Feedback
Studies within this review described the benefit of closed-loop feedback via the EHR
supporting interprofessional practice. In an electronic task management intervention
by Cheng and South,[54] the authors reported a high level of “closed-loop feedback,” as once a requested
task is completed by a clinician, a message is sent back to the requestor.[54] A read-receipt functionality was also a key component within the study by Dalal
et al[55] where a “microblog” messaging platform allowed visualization of when messages were
read and by whom. When asynchronous communication via the EHR occurs, this visual
representation of messages being received is an important aspect for allowing team
members to coordinate and collaborate on patient care. However, some studies demonstrated
how closed-loop feedback did not work optimally within the EHR due to confusion around
who is responsible for each aspect of patient care represented in the EHR.[48]
[58]
Decision Support
EHR systems can provide real-time decision support for clinicians through automated
prompts, messages, and forcing functions.[56]
[60] As described in Ash et al[53] investigating a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) in the EHR, communication
among doctors, nurses and pharmacists has changed and “caused everybody to become
more interdependent.” Positive effects of an EHR enhancement on providing prompting
and decision support were also seen in the study by Goldman et al,[56] investigating a Colposcopy Information System (CIS), an electronic note that allows
health professionals to view a flow sheet of cumulative data and patient history on
one screen.[56] However, in their study investigating to what extent Health Information Technology
(HIT) is involved in care coordination, Samal et al[60] concludes that despite its potential, there is a low utilization of HIT to impact
care coordination at the patient level.
Workflow Disruption
Mixed results were seen regarding disruptions to clinical workflow. Clinicians using
an EHR integrated Rounding Report Tool (RRT), which automatically collects and organizes
clinical information from the EHR, experienced less interruptions to workflow through
lower requirements in seeking clarifying information.[47] Benefit has been reported from capacity for asynchronous clinical handover through
an electronic sign out system, with minimization of workflow disruption due to automatic
transfer of information through the EHR.[59]
[61] However, one study in this review exploring communication between doctors and nurses
using an EHR showed the common use of “workarounds” (“informal temporary practices
for handling exceptions to normal workflow”).[43]
[63] In a study by Varpio et al[43] the authors showed that 34% of communication facilitated by an EHR resulted in a
workaround demonstrating workflow disruptions.[43]
Discussion
This systematic review included 17 publications on the effect of the EHR or EHR enhancement
on interprofessional practice. The majority of studies evaluated outcomes of communication[43]
[47]
[48]
[49]
[50]
[52]
[53]
[54]
[55]
[56]
[57]
[58]
[59]
[60]
[61]
[62] and coordination.[48]
[52]
[55]
[56]
[58]
[59]
[60] Fewer studies reported on the effect on the EHR/EHR enhancement on collaboration[43]
[50]
[53]
[55]
[57]
[59] or teamwork.[49]
[59] Overall, there were mixed findings on the effect of the EHR/EHR enhancement on interprofessional
practice with both positive and negative impacts evident for sharing of information,
visibility of information, closed-loop feedback, decision support and workflow disruption.
EHR enhancements demonstrated a more positive trend for its impact on communication
amongst interprofessional teams.
From EHR to EHR Enhancements
Results showed that evaluation of EHR enhancements are more common in the literature
in the past 5 years. This may indicate that implementation and adoption of EHRs are
becoming more universal and now, modifications and adaptations to EHRs are taking
place to address unintended consequences, described as “unpredictable, emergent problems”
as a result of EHR use.[64] Unintended consequences of the EHR on interprofessional practice are evident throughout
this systematic review, with increased workflow disruptions, negative impacts of sharing
of information within teams, and insufficient use of the EHR to feedback clinical
information between professions.[43]
[58]
[60] Interestingly, these negative impacts were not demonstrated in the studies investigating
enhancements to the EHR. This may be due to EHR enhancements being specifically designed
to mitigate these negative effects. Customization of EHRs (e.g., enhancements) have
provided some solutions for operational and technical factors that impact clinical
communication; however, these are often in response to issues or problems faced. Within
this review, EHR enhancements appear to be designed specifically to fix a problem
(reactive) rather than to accommodate the goals of the organization or end-users (proactive).
However, there is also the possibility that these negative effects were understudied
in the EHR enhancement publications.
Interprofessional Practice and the EHR
Studies in this review show mixed findings on the impact of the EHR to provide enhanced
clarity of patient care.[48]
[56] Hertzum and Simonsen[48] studied the effect of the EHR on clinical activity and results indicated that the
EHR enhances clarity of the patient care plan as well as clarity around the responsibility
of tasks by clinicians. Conversely, in the study by Goldman et al[56] on the CIS, it was unclear who was responsible for inputting data which negatively
impacted coordination of care. This phenomena has been previously reported in a primary
care setting investigating the impact of the EHR on coordination of patient care.[39] The authors describe that when teams with a high level of cohesion utilize the EHR,
there is greater agreement on patient goals of care and improved clarity about the
responsibilities of patient care.[39] It is possible that clinicians working in more cohesive teams may see greater benefits
of improved care coordination with an EHR, possibly due to better procedures regarding
data retrieval and documentation as well as more shared learning.[39]
Greater communication and coordination of work via EHRs may enhance efficiency, however,
interprofessional practice encompasses many additional aspects beyond sharing of information
and feedback of information. The particular activities associated with interprofessional
practice are underpinned by enabling values of teamwork such as trust, interdependence,
and mutual respect.[8]
[10]
[14]
[30] One approach to describing teamwork is from the viewpoint of shared goals, shared
knowledge, and mutual respect, that is, acting with a greater regard for the “whole,”
higher level systems thinking and respecting individual contributions to achieve the
desired outcome.[14] Teams that are described as “high performing teams” demonstrate improved quality
and efficiency of care.[65]
[66] With increased use of EHRs to communicate and coordinate clinical tasks, face to
face interaction amongst clinicians decreases and there is a risk of health care teams
losing the essential elements of teamwork. The loss of the important constructs of
teamwork such as shared identity and mutual respect could negate the productivity
achieved through EHR enhancements.
Digital health technology has changed the way clinicians work with each other. One
of the key findings of this study is that targeted enhancements to an EHR have the
capability of promoting enhanced communication and coordination of patient care. The
COVID-19 pandemic has impacted care by enforcing virtual ward rounds, remote patient
assessments, social distancing, and virtual team meetings. This has in turn impacted
the nature of team functioning and interprofessional practice in the clinical setting.[67] Asynchronous communication and coordination of care via the EHR have been used widely
in response to COVID-19 challenges and may have altered staff perceptions regarding
the value of the EHR for such uses. For example, users may place a higher value on
comprehensive clinical documentation or EHR messaging systems when they are less able
to exchange clinical information through face-to-face meetings or handover. The adjustments
to interprofessional practice in the COVID-19 era have been necessary short-term measures
to protect the health of both staff and patients, however, long-term impacts to health
care teams and ultimately patient care are yet to be determined.
Future Considerations
Ultimately, the goal of health care lies within the quadruple aim of achieving optimal
patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and clinician satisfaction at a reduced cost.[68] The revision from the triple aim to the quadruple aim of health care proposed the
additional important element of clinician satisfaction.[69] This was considered essential as the effectiveness of health care organizations
relies on their workforce, which Sikka et al[69] describes as “an engaged and productive workforce.” The key to clinician engagement
is finding joy and meaning in work and many studies have lamented the growing increase
of clinician burnout, especially evident throughout the digital transformation of
health care and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.[70]
[71]
[72]
[73] Evidence shows that teamwork plays an important role in reducing clinician burnout
and promoting clinician well-being,[65]
[71]
[74]
[75]
[76] in addition to achieving optimal patient outcomes,[6]
[77]
[78]
[79] patient satisfaction,[80] and efficiency[81] in line with the “quadruple aim” of health care.[69] As the use of EHRs becomes more ubiquitous in daily clinical practice, the link
between teamwork and clinician satisfaction cannot be overlooked.
The inconsistency and ambiguity of definitions of interprofessional practice in the
literature has made it challenging to identify the overall impact of the EHR on interprofessional
practice.[12]
[82] There is a need for hospital environments to evaluate where efficiency can be achieved
through use of EHRs and where face-to-face teamwork is essential to achieve integrated
care. We cannot simply substitute the interaction of teams from face-to-face to digital,
and there is a need to consider the context in which interprofessional tasks are performed.
Where clinical work is more complex, time constrained and interdependent, the notion
of teamwork seems more important, and EHR enhancements may not be the answer to improving
interprofessional practice in this case. Future studies should aim to utilize a common
definition of interprofessional practice with agreed upon outcome measures and rigorous
study designs.[18]
Limitations
Limitations of this study include the heterogeneity of outcome measures and study
designs and therefore inability for meta-analysis of results. Additionally, as definitions
of interprofessional practice in the literature are still ambiguous, our search terms
may not encompass all available studies on this topic. Our study aimed to integrate
the effect of an EHR on interprofessional components such as communication, coordination,
collaboration, and teamwork. This viewpoint reflects the complex nature of teams within
a hospital environment and the complexity of implementation of digital health interventions.
However, in this review, not all studies incorporated whole interdisciplinary teams;
interprofessional practice was mainly studied amongst the medicine and nursing professions
with only few studies including the viewpoints of allied health practitioners in addition.[49]
[50]
[53]
[54]
[55]
[62] Therefore, studies within this review may not represent a true interdisciplinary
depiction of teams within a clinical setting. In selecting publications for inclusion
within the systematic review, the EHR was required to be the main intervention. There
is a possibility that studies investigating process enhancements of an EHR have been
published, however, not directly described as a result of the EHR resulting in selection
bias, however, dual screening and the broad search terms reduce this potential. Additionally,
when critically evaluating study quality and coding of publications, some subjectivity
of results were inevitable. Results and constructs gathered from this study were based
on heterogenous outcome measures and relatively small sample sizes.[48]
[49]
[51]
[59]
[61] The majority of publications in this study were observational and of poor research
quality.
Conclusion
Interprofessional practice is widely considered an essential element of high quality
patient care,[6]
[25] yet research remains limited into the effect of the EHR on the way interprofessional
teams function. Our study demonstrates mixed findings on the impact of the EHR/EHR
enhancements on aspects of interprofessional practice including communication, coordination,
collaboration, and teamwork. EHR enhancements showed more positive results in the
ability to communicate (sharing of information, visibility of information, closed-loop
feedback) and coordinate (decision support and reduced workflow disruptions) patient
care. The impact of the EHR/EHR enhancements on other components of interprofessional
practice such as collaboration and teamwork remains understudied.
Clinical Relevance Statement
Clinical Relevance Statement
This systematic review summarizes existing research into how the EHR and EHR enhancements
impact interprofessional practice in the hospital environment. Clinicians should be
encouraged to use digital health technologies such as the EHR to their advantage in
communicating and coordinating patient care. Findings from this review demonstrate
that the EHR can be used to promote interprofessional practice, however, continuing
to encourage elements of teamwork through face to face interactions remains important
in a digitally evolving environment.
Multiple Choice Questions
Multiple Choice Questions
-
The most commonly studied areas of interprofessional practice in the context of the
Electronic Health Record (EHR) include?
-
a. Communication and teamwork.
-
b. Communication and coordination.
-
c. Communication, coordination, collaboration, and teamwork.
-
d. Coordination and teamwork.
Correct Answer: The correct answer is option b. This study shows that the effects of the EHR and/or
EHR enhancements have been more frequently studied within the areas of communication
and coordination. Few studies within this review have demonstrated the use of EHR/EHR
enhancement to promote interprofessional collaboration or teamwork.
-
EHR and EHR enhancements have impacted interprofessional practice in what way?
-
Positive impact on interprofessional practice.
-
Negative impact on interprofessional practice.
-
Both positive and negative impact on interprofessional practice.
-
No impact on interprofessional practice.
Correct Answer: The answer is option c. This review demonstrated mixed findings on the impact of
interprofessional practice in the areas of sharing of information, visibility of information,
real time feedback, decision support, and reduced disruption to clinical workflows.
Appendix A
PubMed search strategy translated to other databases
Terms translated to other databases
|
Concept 1
|
Concept 2
|
Concept 3
|
“Electronic health records” [MESH] OR “Electronic Health Records” [tiab] OR “Electronic
Medical Records” [tiab] OR “Electronic Health Record*” [tiab] OR “Electronic Medical
Record*” [tiab] OR “Computerised Health Record*” [tiab] OR “Computerised Medical Record*”
[tiab] OR “Computerized Health Record*” [tiab] OR “Computerized Medical Record*” [tiab]
OR “EMR” [tiab] OR “EHR” [tiab]
|
“Interprofessional relations” [MESH] OR “interdisciplinary communication” [MESH] OR
“Inter-professional” [tiab] OR “Interprofessional” [tiab] OR “Interdisciplinary” [tiab]
OR “Inter-disciplinary” [tiab] OR “Multi-disciplinary” [tiab] OR “Multidisciplinary”
[tiab] OR “collaboration” [tiab] OR “communication” [tiab] OR “teamwork” [tiab] OR
“Interprofessional collaborative practice” [tiab]
|
“Personnel, hospital” [MESH] OR “Acute” [tiab] OR “inpatient” [tiab] OR “ward*” [tiab]
|
Appendix B
Effect of intervention on outcome measures
Intervention
|
EHR or enhancement
|
Author/
Year
|
Outcome 1
(communication)
|
Outcome 2
(coordination)
|
Outcome 3
(collaboration)
|
Outcome 4 (teamwork)
|
EHR-integrated rounding report tool (RRT)
|
Enhancement
|
Abraham et al 2019
|
+
+
∼
|
|
|
|
Large customizable interactive monitor (LCIM)
|
Enhancement
|
Asan et al 2018
|
+
|
∼
|
|
|
Computerized physician order entry (CPOE)
|
EHR
|
Ash et al 2003
|
+
|
−
|
|
|
Electronic Task Management (ETM) system
|
Enhancement
|
Cheng and South 2020
|
+
+
∼
|
|
|
|
“Microblog” messaging platform
|
Enhancement
|
Dalal et al 2017
|
+
+
−
−
−
|
+
|
+
|
|
Colposcopy Information System (CIS)
|
Enhancement
|
Goldman et al 2012
|
+
+
−
|
−
|
|
|
Electronic Patient Record (EPR)
|
EHR
|
Hertzum and Simonsen 2008
|
|
+
+
∼
|
|
|
Computerized Clinical Care Pathway
|
Enhancement
|
Hyde and Murphy 2012
|
+
+
|
|
|
+
|
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
|
EHR
|
Lloyd et al 2021
|
+
|
|
+
|
|
Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
|
EHR
|
Morrison et al 2008
|
−
∼
∼
|
|
∼
|
|
IT/ EHR
|
EHR
|
Munoz et al
2014
|
−
∼
|
−
−
|
|
|
eSignout (electronic handover tool)
|
Enhancement
|
Nelson et al 2017
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
EHR prompt for present on admission (POA) Pressure Ulcers
|
Enhancement
|
Rogers et al 2013
|
Results excluded as inconclusive
|
|
|
|
Health Information Technology (HIT)
|
EHR
|
Samal et al 2016
|
∼
|
+
+
+
−
∼
∼
|
|
|
Electronic signout incorporated into EHR
|
Enhancement
|
Sidlow and Katz-Sidlow 2006
|
+
|
+
|
|
|
Electronic Patient Records (EPR)
|
EHR
|
Varpio et al 2009
|
−
−
∼
∼
|
|
−
∼
|
|
Clinical Information System (CIS)
|
EHR
|
Ward et al 2012
|
∼
∼
∼
|
|
|
|
Appendix C
Study Quality Assessment via the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse
Designs (QATSDD)
Study ID
(Author, Year)
|
Abraham et al 2019
|
Asan et al 2018
|
Ash et al 2003
|
Cheng and South 2020
|
Dalal et al 2017
|
Goldman et al 2012
|
Hertzum and Simonsen 2008
|
Hyde and Murphy 2012
|
Lloyd et al 2021
|
Morrison et al 2008
|
Munoz et al 2014
|
Nelson et al 2017
|
Rogers et al 2013
|
Samal et al
2016
|
Sidlow and Katz-Sidlow 2006
|
Varpio et al 2009
|
Ward et al 2012
|
Total score
|
33
|
38
|
35
|
19
|
23
|
21
|
23
|
9
|
28
|
19
|
15
|
19
|
12
|
33
|
12
|
34
|
22
|
%
|
69
|
79
|
83
|
45
|
55
|
44
|
48
|
21
|
67
|
45
|
36
|
45
|
29
|
79
|
29
|
81
|
52
|
Criteria
|
Explicit theoretical framework
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
Statement of aims/objectives in main body of report
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
Clear description of research setting
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
Evidence of sample size considered in terms of analysis
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
Representative sample target group of reasonable size
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
Description of procedure for data collection
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
Rationale for choice of data collection tool(s)
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
Detailed recruitment data
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
Statistical assessment of reliability and validity of measurement tool(s)
(Quantitative only)
|
2
|
3
|
−
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
−
|
0
|
−
|
0
|
−
|
1
|
−
|
1
|
Fit between stated research question and method of data collection
(Quantitative only)
|
3
|
3
|
−
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
2
|
−
|
1
|
−
|
2
|
−
|
0
|
−
|
1
|
Fit between research question and format and content of data collection tool
(Qualitative only)
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
−
|
−
|
2
|
1
|
−
|
−
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
−
|
2
|
−
|
3
|
−
|
Fit between research question and method of analysis
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
Good justification for analytic method selected
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
Assessment of reliability of analytic process
(Qualitative only)
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
−
|
−
|
0
|
0
|
−
|
−
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
−
|
2
|
−
|
3
|
−
|
Evidence of user involvement in design
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
Strengths and limitations critically discussed
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
2
|