JAMA Internal Medicine: Changes in Physician Electronic Health Record Use With the Expansion of Telemedicine

JAMA Internal Medicine: Changes in Physician Electronic Health Record Use With the Expansion of Telemedicine

Telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increase in the time physicians spent working in the EHR, though this work was largely related to documenting visits rather than messaging patients. Physicians who provided care both through telehealth and in person in a week had 0.43 additional hours of EHR time per eight patient scheduled hours and 0.38 additional hours outside of scheduled hours compared with those providing care entirely in person. Health systems should consider the burden of EHR time for physicians who deliver care via telemedicine, when considering scheduling, number of patients under care (ie, panel size), and productivity expectations.