Identifying Persistent Usability Issues When Using an Electronic Health Record to Inform EHR Instructional Redesign

Ineffective training can impact the perceived ease of use of an electronic health record (EHR) system. This study aims to determine persistent usability issues experienced by primary care residents when using an EHR to inform EHR instructional overhaul. Methods: Primary care residents participated in two rounds of usability tests. Physicians completed nineteen tasks based on an Five themes emerged during analysis: (1) Inconsistencies, (2) User Interface Issues, (3) Structured Data Issues, (4) Ambiguous Terminologies, and (5) Workarounds. This study was novel in that the authors have no knowledge of any iterative EHR usability studies among primary care residents to assist in improving EHR training.