The solution to EHR woes: A team-based care model

For some time, electronic health records (EHRs) have been the focus of many articles (“EHR use and patient satisfaction: What we learned.” J Fam Pract. 2015;64:687-696) and the source of great debate (and frustration) in the health care community. But there’s a logical solution to the dilemmas created by EHRs: A team-based care model.¹

A fundamental principle of team-based care is that all members of the team work at the top of their skill set. So, with that in mind, most of the duties of EHR management should be delegated to other team members, rather than to the physicians. In our system, every physician works with 2 other people—certified medical assistants or licensed practical nurses—who help with standing orders, protocols, templates, and many of the EHR duties, including a significant portion of team documentation. They do this while recognizing and respecting guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and other payers. That leaves the physicians and advanced practice clinicians the time they need to focus on the patient during the visit.

Not surprisingly, patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction, and quality measures are all improving with this model of care. It is proving financially viable, as well. This model may well be the future of health care delivery for office-based practices.²

Jim Jerzak, MD
Green Bay, Wis

1. Sinsky CA, Willard-Grace R, Schutzbank AM, et al. In search of joy in practice: a report of 23 high-functioning primary care practices. Ann Fam Med. 2013;11:272-278.

2. Ghorob A, Bodenheimer T. Building teams in primary care: A practical guide. Fam Syst Health. 2015;33:182-192.