According to a recent estimate by the National Center for Health Statistics, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are being used in nearly 72% of office-based practices, a 400% increase from the last decade. While the shift to technology has largely been smooth, the challenge to leverage EHRs to improve patient-doctor engagement remains an elusive goal.

One EHR solution which has largely benefitted physicians all over the US is the “All-in-One” Cloud by CureMD.

Even though physician practices normally receive trainings which introduce them to data entry and the system’s features, following are some tips on how EHRs can be used to improve physician-patient relationship:

1. Physicians need to make sure they are listening to a patient’s concerns before opening the computer screen.
2. Physicians should keep the patients engaged when they are entering patient information into the system.
3. They must also make sure that they are pointing to the relevant areas on the computer screen when sharing patient data or results with patients.
4. Another important aspect they need to understand is knowing when to push the computer screen away.
5. Encourage patient participation in building charts.

Typically physicians receive little or no training when it comes to EHR best practices. However, an example of the importance of this particular area is the recently approved policy by the American Medical Association (AMA). The policy pledges to develop resources, which in turn will help members use computers and EHRs more effectively, during patient-physician interactions.

Another mistake physicians sometimes make is turning their backs to patients when entering information into the EHR, and having an apologetic attitude for doing so. Instead, they should engage the patient when using their EHRs and inform them about how EHRs help improve quality of care.

Some American medical colleges have started to integrate courses for budding physicians on how to use technology to improve patient-physician interaction. They are being taught when to leave their computers alone and focus on the patient, for example when a patient is discussing sensitive/confidential information or before beginning a physical exam.

However, as they enter the patient’s information in the system, physicians should educate the patients about how this will help improve the quality of care. Studies have shown, patients understand the importance of technology much better this way.

In his seventh year using an EHR, Salvatore Volpe, MD, a Staten Island, New York-based internal medicine physician, says the computer is “no longer an alien object” in the room for him or his patients.

“Once I learned where everything was on the screen and I got past the gee-whiz-this-is-such-a-great-toy phase, I was able to get back to my old routine, which is to listen for a little while, ask questions, digest it and then play court stenographer,” says Volpe, a member of the Medical Economics editorial board. Volpe’s patients now expect him to bring a laptop in the exam room and understand how it will be used.

Patient portals are also contributing to a rise in patient satisfaction and engagement with their medical processes. Patients are now more in control than ever before, of appointment scheduling, prescription refills and lab results – all made possible by online patient portals.

In short, EHRs are indeed improving physicians’ focus on patient care. While the pace remains slow, the future holds a lot of promise.