Understanding the EMR Error Control Practices among Gynecologic Physicians

An “EMR error” refers to any incorrect, incomplete, or inconsistent patient information entered into electronic medical records (EMRs). Currently, the administering clinicians “manually” resolve such errors. Designing automated error control algorithms is a significant, and yet under-explored, informatics problem. In this study, we assess the EMR error detection abilities of physicians, reveal their strategies, and draw implications for computational algorithm design. Focusing on gynecologic practice, we conducted an error simulation study by fabricating several “erroneous” patient visit notes. We presented these notes to 20 experienced gynecologists, and asked them to detect any errors. Despite devoting substantial time, the participants could detect <50% of the introduced errors. Nevertheless, the successful cases helped reveal the 5 kinds of automatable “triggers” that helped participants sense an error candidate. The participants were able to recognize these triggers because of their comprehensive gynecologic knowledge accumulated through experience and medical school training.