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Medical Students Have Frustrations With EHRs Too

Often, physicians voice many concerns often feel that they have to to information technology departments
about the electronic health records (EHRs) wait for the resident to do and EHR representatives, but their calls for
with which they are directed to work. One certain things, such as access input, like those of physicians, are general-
hears that the EHRs do not facilitate a clin- orders or update progress ly not heard. In this way, we limit the input
ician’s workflow. They are not physician notes. Students may feel that for use improvement of a new generation
friendly because physicians’ input was not inefficient EHRs are costing of users.
solicited. They were designed for billing, them time and therefore Thus, it appears that even tech savvy
not for patient care. Data is in different their educational experi- medical students, who might even have
forms, structured and unstructured. Many ence. learned the technology, experience many
older physicians are not as familiar adapt- However, medical stu- frustrations with EHRs. Although they
ing to technology as younger people. dents are quite enterprising may be better suited to adapting to EHR
Clinicians spend countless hours at a com- and clever, and thus, they platforms, they too appear to have similar
puter screen which adversely affects the have learned to develop concerns. The fact that they may have an
time that they can spend with their BY PAUL R. DEMURO, PHD, AND RUCHIK PATEL some “work-a-rounds.” easier time learning an EHR system does
patients. Their patients would rather look Com p li cated EHRs have not necessarily mean that in 20 years we
at their physician rather than have him or that the medical students train on may not forced students to use out- will have a cadre of new physicians who
her looking at their computer screens even be the same systems they have to use side technology to help prepare presenta- are happy with the current EHR systems
when he or she is in their office. when they are residents. Often, students tions and present plans for patients. Often, and how they affect the practice of medi-
Well, what about millennial medical stu- view the systems they have to use as coun- students write their notes identified in sep- cine. It may be more likely that if EHR
dents? Most are certainly tech savvy, but terintuitive and there is a steep learning arate documents and email them to their vendors develop more clinician friendly
they also seem to be experiencing frustra- curve. residents for their reference or feedback. systems and clinic placements all use the
tions with EHRs. Many medical students At the bottom of the hierarchy, medical Many times students will rely on providers same system, there may be a cadre of
may be trained in a number of EHR sys- students are left to navigate the inefficien- directly for a summary on new patients, as physicians who are somewhat content
tems during their clerkships, using differ- cies of the EHR. When there are discrepan- navigating the chart is time consuming with their EHR platforms. Unfortunately,
ent systems than their classmates in other cies from outpatient records, students are and incomplete. It is too convenient to use this may not be on the horizon.
placements. This makes EHRs impossible assigned to call outpatient offices and other systems rather than even optimize
to truly integrate in a medical curriculum. speak with providers directly. The medical use of the current EMR. Paul R. DeMuro, Attorney at Nelson
Medical students find they are spending students might be asked to fax HIPAA Students may yearn to have input in the Mullins Broad and Cassel, can be reached at
time on required documentation rather forms and obtain records from private design of EHRs, which might have made paul.demuro@nelsonmullins.com.
than learning the system itself, given that practice, ostensibly acting as a gofer in the the systems friendlier. Being tech savvy, Ruchik Patel is a Fourth Year Medical
training is time consuming. The systems process for record reconciliation. They medical students might even want access Student in New York, NY.

VITAS® Healthcare Celebrates 40 Years of Hospice Care

VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading bursement legislation in 1982. As a employees have been with the company
provider of end-of-life care, is celebrating result, Medicare, Medicaid, and virtually since the early ‘80s.
four decades of compassionate care for all private insurers and managed care VITAS employees are committed to the
hospice patients and their families. plans provide coverage for hospice company’s values, which are as true
Founded in 1978 in Miami, VITAS was patients. today as they were when they were writ-
one of the nation’s first hospice pro- In the more than 40 years since ten:
grams. Westbrook and Colliflower cared for 1. Patients and families come first.
The company’s story began in 1976, their first patient, VITAS has continued 2. We take care of each other.
when Hugh Westbrook, an ordained to lead the American hospice movement, 3. I’ll do my best today and do even
United Methodist minister, and Esther committed to finding and closing gaps in better tomorrow.
Colliflower, a registered nurse, saw a gap end-of-life care. VITAS ensures that ter- 4. I am proud to make a difference.
in the treatment of people with terminal minally ill patients of all walks of life and “The opportunity to provide dignity to
illnesses. their families have access to compassion- people at the end of their lives is more
Shortly after establishing their hospice ate and high-quality hospice care. Since than our work—it is our calling,” says
company in 1978, they met Don Gaetz, a its founding, VITAS has cared for more Nick Westfall, CEO of VITAS Healthcare.
Florida hospital administrator who than 1.6 million patients. “The growth of our organization is a
teamed up with them to pass, in 1979, Today almost 12,000 VITAS profes- reflection of our adherence to the VITAS
the first-in-the-nation hospice licensure sionals provide care to more than 17,600 values and the deep commitment and
law, which defined hospice care in patients daily in 14 states and the District dedication of every employee, from the
Florida. It immediately became a model of Columbia. VITAS employees are the visionaries who founded this company to
for other states and the federal govern- hearts, hands and experts of the VITAS those who provide compassion and care
ment. way of doing hospice. They are the rea- every single day. I’m so proud of the
VITAS was part of the Medicare son families have invited VITAS into work we do and the individual and team
National Hospice Demonstration Project, their homes for 40 years. This company contributions that makes VITAS so spe-
which led to the passage of hospice reim- culture is the reason many VITAS cial for our patients and their families.”

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South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com September 2018 11