WIP 42 - EPICally Reducing the EMR Learning Curve: Tracking PGY-1 Time in the Electronic Medical Record after Orientation Efficiency Workshop

Publication Number: WIP 42.7595

Miguel Locsin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Durham, NC, United States; Tacora N. Lemelle, North Carolina Children's Hospital, Carrboro, NC, United States; Eric Zwemer, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel HIll, NC, United States; Carl Seashore, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Christian Lawrence, University of North Carolina, Durham, NC, United States; Alexandria Card, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Clemmons, NC, United States

Background: The first year of pediatric residency comes with increased patient loads and responsibilities, which inherently means more documentation and tasks to be completed in the electronic medical record (EMR). When residents start at a new institution after medical school, getting up to speed in the EMR can be challenging. Notably, both EMR burden and EMR level of skill have been associated with lower career/job satisfaction and sense of work-life balance for pediatric physicians. Some studies have evaluated the efficacy of EMR trainings, with most focusing on learner comfort, confidence, or self-reported knowledge. This project aimed to evaluate the effect of a novel EMR training on first-year resident (PGY-1) efficiency within the EMR.

Objective: To increase EMR efficiency of PGY-1s on inpatient pediatric wards during their first inpatient rotation.

Design/Methods: We performed a needs assessment via electronic survey of all FY24 pediatric residents at our institution regarding key areas of PGY-1 EMR efficiency training needed. We then developed and provided an optional EMR personalization workshop and reference handbook for PGY-1s during the FY25 PGY-1 orientation. Key sections/topics included creating patient lists, using admission order sets, manage influx of lab/imaging results, and updating hospital courses. An anonymous retrospective pre/post survey was administered a month after the workshop. Based on preliminary analysis, across all four areas above, residents were more likely to rate their confidence as “quite confident” or “fully confident” after the training than before the training (chisq, all p< 0.01).

By the time of April 1, 2025, we will have obtained and analyzed data via Epic Signal software on time per note and total time spent in EMR per day. We will compare this data for each PGY-1 on their first inpatient rotation of the FY25 year to data for PGY-1s in their first inpatient rotation of the FY24 academic year. This study was reviewed and deemed exempt from further review by the University of North Carolina institutional IRB.