JAMA Intern Med

EHR workload surge persists post COVID-19

March 6, 2025

Study details: This study analyzed national Epic Signal data from 280,712 ambulatory physicians using Epic EHRs in the U.S. from 2019 to 2022 to assess changes in patient medical advice request messages and EHR time pre- and post-COVID-19 onset.

Results: Patient medical advice request messages and EHR time increased across all specialties starting in March 2020. Primary care physicians (PCPs) experienced the highest increase, with a 6.5% rise in EHR time (from 10.6 to 11.3 hours per week). Medical subspecialists and surgeons saw increases of 9.9% and 5.2%, respectively. The volume of patient telephone calls remained stable, indicating no substitution effect.

Clinical impact: The sustained increase in EHR workload suggests a persistent burden on physicians, particularly PCPs. Health systems and policymakers must prioritize strategies to reduce inbox burden while maintaining patient access to care.

Source:

Holmgren AJ, et al. (2025, February 24). JAMA Intern Med. Trends in Physician Electronic Health Record Time and Message Volume. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39992635/