Which Professional Organization Publishes An Annual EHR User Satisfaction Survey?

Why their insights are game-changers for optimizing clinician experience and patient care.

You're probably wondering which organization publishes an annual survey on electronic health record (EHR) user satisfaction. The answer is KLAS Research.

KLAS is a leading healthcare IT research firm that provides data and insights to help providers make informed decisions about their technology solutions. Founded in 1996, KLAS has established itself as a trusted name in the industry, known for its impartial and data-driven approach.

KLAS Research's mission is to help healthcare providers make informed decisions about their technology investments by gathering and analyzing feedback from actual users.

In this regard, one of their key initiatives is the Arch Collaborative - a provider-led effort to unlock the potential of EHRs in revolutionizing patient care.

The Arch Collaborative EHR User Satisfaction Survey

Through the Arch Collaborative, KLAS conducts a standardized survey to measure clinician satisfaction with EHRs across different healthcare organizations. 

Here are some key points about this annual survey:

• It collects feedback from thousands of clinicians on their EHR experience. 
• Respondents rate factors like the EHR's efficiency, functionality, impact on care delivery, etc.
• Their responses are aggregated into a "Net EHR Experience Score" ranging from -100 to 100.
• Higher scores indicate higher user satisfaction with the EHR system.

The survey aims to establish benchmarks and enable organizations to learn from each other's successes and failures in optimizing EHR usability.

Key Areas Evaluated in the Survey

The KLAS EHR user satisfaction survey covers various aspects of EHR systems, providing a comprehensive assessment of each solution. These are some of the key areas evaluated:

Usability and Ease of Use

How intuitive and user-friendly is the EHR interface? Does it streamline or hinder clinical workflows?

Functionality and Features

What features and capabilities does the EHR offer? Are they effective and meeting user needs?

Customer Support and Vendor Performance

How responsive and helpful is the vendor's customer support team? Are they proactive in addressing issues and concerns?

Interoperability and Data Exchange

How well does the EHR system integrate with other healthcare IT solutions? Can data be easily shared and exchanged?

Overall Satisfaction and Loyalty

Would users recommend the EHR system to others? Are they likely to continue using it in the future?

These key areas provide a comprehensive understanding of each EHR system's strengths and weaknesses, enabling healthcare organizations to make informed decisions.

Why Does EHR User Satisfaction Matter?

You might be thinking - why is tracking EHR satisfaction so crucial? Well, there are a few important reasons:

• Improved Patient Care: Satisfied EHR users leverage the system's capabilities better to enhance care quality and patient outcomes. 
• Higher Clinician Productivity: When clinicians are satisfied with the EHR, they can work more efficiently without workflow disruptions. 
• Reduced Burnout: EHR dissatisfaction is a major contributor to clinician burnout, which can lead to high turnover costs for organizations. 

So by measuring and improving EHR satisfaction, healthcare providers can boost clinician engagement, productivity, and retention - ultimately benefiting both clinicians and patients.

Key Insights from KLAS' EHR User Surveys

Over the years, KLAS' Arch Collaborative surveys have revealed some valuable insights regarding EHR user satisfaction:

• Personal Accountability is Key: Highly satisfied users take personal ownership and initiative to master the EHR through training, personalization tools, etc. 
• Shared Ownership Matters: Users are more satisfied when they feel their organization implemented and supports the EHR well. 
• Specialty-Specific Differences: EHR satisfaction can vary significantly across clinical specialties like orthopedics, cardiology, etc. 
• Global Perspectives: While US and non-US health systems face some common EHR challenges, there are also notable regional differences. 

The surveys highlight actionable areas that providers and EHR vendors can focus on to drive higher user adoption and satisfaction.

Why Are the Survey Findings Important?

The KLAS EHR user satisfaction survey plays a crucial role in the healthcare technology landscape for several reasons:

Benchmark for EHR Vendors and Developers

The survey results serve as a benchmark for EHR vendors, highlighting areas where they excel and where improvements are needed. This feedback can drive product development and innovation, ultimately leading to better solutions for healthcare providers.

Insights for Healthcare Organizations

When considering implementing a new EHR system or switching to a different vendor, healthcare organizations can leverage the survey findings to evaluate their options. This helps them make informed decisions based on real-world user experiences.

Identification of User Pain Points

The survey uncovers common user pain points and areas of dissatisfaction, allowing vendors to address these issues and improve the overall user experience.

Driving Innovation and Enhancing User Experience

By highlighting areas for improvement, the survey findings encourage EHR vendors to innovate and develop solutions that better meet the needs of healthcare professionals, ultimately enhancing patient care.

Other Notable EHR Satisfaction Surveys

While KLAS' Arch Collaborative is a prominent initiative, a few other organizations also conduct notable EHR user satisfaction surveys:

• AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians): They have published annual EHR user satisfaction surveys specifically for family medicine practices. 
• The Medscape EHR Report: This surveys physicians across multiple specialties on EHR usability and satisfaction metrics. 

However, the Arch Collaborative stands out for its large-scale, standardized, and multi-organizational approach to measuring the clinician EHR experience.

The Way Forward

As healthcare continues its digital transformation journey, optimizing EHR usability and user satisfaction will remain a key priority. KLAS' annual Arch Collaborative survey provides valuable benchmarks and best practices to guide providers in this endeavor.

Focusing on areas like training, personalization, clinician governance, and optimized EHR workflows, healthcare organizations can enhance their clinicians' EHR experience. This, in turn, can lead to better care quality, higher productivity, reduced burnout, and improved patient outcomes across the board.

So if you're a healthcare provider looking to elevate your EHR game, keep an eye out for KLAS' annual survey insights!