How physician electronic health record screen sharing affects patient and doctor non-verbal communication in primary care

Abstract

Objective: Use of electronic health records (EHRs) in primary-care exam rooms changes the dynamics of patient-physician interaction. This study examines and compares doctor-patient non-verbal communication (eye-gaze patterns) during primary care encounters for three different screen/information sharing groups: (1) active information sharing, (2) passive information sharing, and (3) technology withdrawal.

Methods: Researchers video recorded 100 primary-care visits and coded the direction and duration of doctor and patient gaze. Descriptive statistics compared the length of gaze patterns as a percentage of visit length. Lag sequential analysis determined whether physician eye-gaze influenced patient eye gaze, and vice versa, and examined variations across groups.

Results: Significant differences were found in duration of gaze across groups. Lag sequential analysis found significant associations between several gaze patterns. Some, such as DGP-PGD ("doctor gaze patient" followed by "patient gaze doctor") were significant for all groups. Others, such DGT-PGU ("doctor gaze technology" followed by "patient gaze unknown") were unique to one group.

Conclusion: Some technology use styles (active information sharing) seem to create more patient engagement, while others (passive information sharing) lead to patient disengagement.

Practice implications: Doctors can engage patients in communication by using EHRs in the visits. EHR training and design should facilitate this.

Keywords: EHRs; Physician–EHR interaction; Physician–patient communication; Primary care.