Physician's Perceived EMR-Communication Fit: Towards Developing A Measurement Instrument

In this research we define the construct 'physician's perceived fit 'which refers to the fit between the EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system and the task of establishing effective communication with the patient during the medical encounter in primary care. This is the first stage of a study aimed at developing and examining a validated measurement instrument for this construct. Effective physicianpatient communication (PPC) during a medical interview was found as a critical factor for the success of the patient's treatments. Since the introduction of the EMR system to clinics, there is a possible negative influence of the system on the physician's ability to establish effective communication. If this is true then it is likely that the fit between the EMR system and the task of establishing PPC is suboptimal. Perceived fit in this context is defined as "The degree to which a physician believes that use of the EMR system during the medical encounter supports establishing effective communication with the patient." We identified four factors as composing the construct's content domain: Sharing information, Task-Flow Support, Ease of Use and Information quality. This study serves as the foundation for developing a measurement instrument for the Fit construct.