Regulators trying to reduce physician burden linked to EHR

(HealthDay)—The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is trying to address some of the issues relating to physician electronic health record (EHR) burden, partly with the appointment of Don Rucker, M.D., who is skilled in informatics and board-certified in emergency and internal medicine, according to an article published in Medical Economics.

Rucker, appointed to lead the ONC in March 2017, was interviewed regarding his vision for health care information technology (IT) and how the ONC is addressing physician frustration with EHRs.

Rucker discussed the provider, specifically physician, burden associated with EHR, which is multifactorial. He said the ONC has roles in reducing physician burden, including legal requirements, targeting software development specifically to health care, and addressing federal policies. To doctors who are thinking of leaving medicine rather than changing to EHRs, Rucker suggested looking at areas they can control. He emphasized that the burden on providers is as much of a burden on patients, who are paying for the problems with EHR systems. He also discussed problems relating to measurement of quality metrics and the value of care.

"Our world is rapidly morphing. It will be a computer software-driven world in part, but ultimately, it is still a very human world and every patient is ultimately unique," Rucker said in the interview. "All these things will come together. I see IT as one of those tools."