Majority of clinicians (51%-53%) believe the EHRs are not sufficient enough for coordinating care, while 78 percent of office managers believe the EHR is sufficient, according to new survey by PerfectServe. The survey conducted by Nielsen looks at perspectives on HIPAA, organizational readiness for population health and challenges in care coordination from nearly 1,000 clinicians (including hospital and office-based physicians, nurses, specialists), case managers and practice administrators.
Challenges in Care Coordination
Only 60% of healthcare professional believe the EHR is sufficient for care coordination and collaboration. In addition the survey found:
– Only 51% of hospitalists, primary care physicians and hospital-based specialists say the EHR is enough.
– Only 12% of primary care physicians strongly agree that the EHR is sufficient.
– The majority of nurses and care managers (53%) do not believe the EHR is adequate for effectively communicating with physicians.
– Office managers are most likely to believe the EHR is sufficient for care coordination. This discrepancy indicates that while the EHR may be sufficient for administrative coordination, it’s not delivering the kind of collaboration necessary for patient care.
Organizational Readiness for Population Health Programs
As provider organizations move towards population health, they’re making changes in the way patient care is delivered by establishing best practices, investing in new technology and making systematic changes to improve care coordination. In order for those changes to work as intended, provider organizations require the support of clinicians. For example:
– 69% of clinicians feel patient care is often delayed while waiting for important information about the patient.
– Nearly two-thirds (61%) of respondents believe that HIPAA is an obstacle to communication and collaboration.
– Primary care physicians are the least likely to know if their organization has a population health strategy (71%, compared to 96% of office managers and 92% of hospital administrators).
– 71% of clinicians say they have wasted time trying to communicate with the broader health team.
– 69% of clinicians feel patient care is often delayed while waiting for important information about the patient.
– Only 51% of hospitalists, primary care physicians and hospital-based specialists say the EHR is sufficient for care coordination and collaboration.
– Primary care physicians are the least likely to know if their organization has a population health strategy (71%, compared to 96% of office managers and 92% of hospital administrators).
Security Barriers
The survey revealed that healthcare providers overwhelmingly feel clinical communication and care coordination play an integral role to improving population health and reducing readmissions. But clinicians say that HIPPA compliance often gets in the way of those goals:
– Six in ten agree that HIPAA regulations pose obstacles for efficient communication and collaboration within the care team, and 71% of primary care physicians say HIPAA is an obstacle.
– The majority (83%) say secure communications is a priority at their organization, and more than half (53%) strongly agree.
– Still, 21% say they have received texts or voicemails with protected patient health information on a non-secure device.
– Though a large majority (84%) say they have HIPAA-compliance risk mitigation plan in place, a strong minority (13%) aren’t sure if their organization has a HIPAA strategy.
– Only 9% are extremely satisfied with their current secure communications, and 55% expressed frustration that not all of their care team members have access to secure communication technology.
Perception Gap Between Clinicians/Admins
However, one of the key findings of the survey is that a major gap exists between clinicians and administrative healthcare professionals. On topics including population health strategy, secure communication policies, HIPAA compliance and more, the responses between the clinician and administrative professionals varied greatly, pointing to communication changes between the two sides of the house.
– While the majority of clinicians (51%-53%) believe the EHR is not sufficient for coordinating care, 78% of office managers believe the EHR is sufficient.
– Although 95% of office managers and 94% of hospital administrators are familiar with their organization’s population health strategy, only 61% of hospitalists are familiar with their organization’s population health strategy.
– Similarly, 96% of office managers and 92% of hospital administrators are familiar with HIPAA policies for their organization, but only 71% of primary care physicians are familiar with it.
– Office managers (95%) and hospital administrators (91%) overwhelmingly feel analytics are crucial to population health efforts, but primary care physicians aren’t quite as convinced, with only 81% agreeing.
– 71% of clinicians say they have wasted time trying to communicate with the broader health team.
– 69% of clinicians feel patient care is often delayed while waiting for important information about the patient.
– Nearly two-thirds (61%) of respondents believe that HIPAA is an obstacle to communication and collaboration.
– Only 51% of hospitalists, primary care physicians and hospital-based specialists say the EHR is sufficient for care coordination and collaboration.
