A Balancing Act: Patient Engagement and EHR Use

​Providers can improve patient engagement and patient-provider communication while using the electronic health record (EHR) by adjusting workflows for efficiency, familiarizing patients with EHR technology, and taking advantage of the “golden minute" to make a “deeper connection" with patients during routine visits, explains an article published in Patient Engagement HIT on August 29, 2017. The author cites a 2017 study published in the Journal of Innovation in Health Informatics that found many providers struggling to manage the distractions and barriers that accompanied EHR implementation and to build relationships with patients while simultaneously recording key medical information in the EHR. However, strategies related to time management, patient interaction, and appropriate use of technology can help create a balanced approach to delivering care, suggests the Patient Engagementarticle. Examples include using EHR templates to stay organized—while avoiding copying and pasting from chart to chart—and to keep track of multiple visits throughout the day.