Electronic medical record keeping and digital literacy of anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians: challenges and prospects

The objective is to assess the relationship between electronic medical record maintenance and digital literacy of anesthesiology and intensive care physicians, their satisfaction with the workflow, exposure to stress due to workload, and propensity to negative emotions. Methods. The study analyzed 33 questionnaire forms completed by anesthesiologists and intensive care physicians employed at Clinic No. 2 of the Nikiforov Russian Center of Emergency and Radiation Medicine, EMERCOM of Russia (St. Petersburg) with regard to internal electronic medical record management. Results. If mounted on a high-performance medical information system, electronic medical record management does not impede the workflow without causing any negative emotions among medical professionals. The study results demonstrated a correlation between baseline digital literacy and command of the medical information system. No statistically significant gender-related differences among physicians were observed in the perception of electronic document management using the medical information system. Statistically significant differences in the perception of digitalization were associated with age and professional experience. Older physicians who witnessed the change from paper to electronic documentation and faced issues related to lack of standardization consider digital tools as a means to improve performance of professional activities and make them easier to carry out. Conclusion. Among anesthesiologists, the perception of digitalization varies depending on age and professional experience. Successful implementation of digital technologies in medicine requires taking these differences into account. The key priorities in addressing challenges include optimized electronic medical record interface, automated routine procedures, and mandatory feedback from physicians; the latter should be considered in further software development, as well as information system implementation and updates.