The survey takes just minutes, and your response matters more than ever to your colleagues. Besides, you just might win an iPad.
Fam Pract Manag. 2011;18(1):15-17
Dr. Adler is a practicing family physician, medical director of information technology for Arizona Community Physicians in Tucson, Ariz., a Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems, a juror for the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and an independent consultant in health care IT. He holds a Master of Medical Management degree and a Certificate in Healthcare Information Technology, and he serves on the Family Practice Management Board of Editors. Robert Edsall is editor-in-chief of Family Practice Management. Author disclosure: nothing to disclose.
Whether your electronic health record system (EHR) makes your job easier or is a full-time job itself, you could help thousands of your colleagues by completing FPM's 2011 EHR user-satisfaction survey. The advent of government stimulus funding for meaningful use of certified EHR technology is leading more and more physicians to consider purchasing an EHR. You can help them select the best system for their practices and avoid costly mistakes – perhaps the same ones you've made along the way. We will use the data collected to publish product-specific results in an upcoming issue of FPM.
How to take the survey
Go online to https://www.aafp.org/fpm/ehrsurvey
About the survey
The user-satisfaction survey is open to AAFP members who use commercial EHRs. We encourage all such members to respond; the more who respond, the more EHR systems we'll be able to report on and the more complete the report will be. The survey takes only five minutes or so to complete.
But I took the survey last time. Our last satisfaction survey was fielded almost two years ago,1 and things change quickly in health information technology. Your system has probably been upgraded, and your opinion may have changed in the past two years. Things are different now. We need to hear from you.
But my partner is taking the survey. If you and your partner are like most family physicians, you don't agree on everything. Your opinion counts, and so does your partner's. We need to hear from you both and the rest of your colleagues too. If there are six of you, you probably have six different opinions of the system you use. Please spread the word.
But I'm not computer savvy. We need to hear from all segments of the membership, not just the enthusiasts. If you're bewildered by your EHR, prospective users probably would be, too. They need your input.
But I just hate our EHR. Then don't you think it's important to tell colleagues who might be on the point of buying it? They really need to hear from you.
What's in it for you
Aside from helping many of your fellow family physicians, your response will provide feedback to vendors that spurs improvements in EHR technology – perhaps even in the EHR you use. In addition, one randomly selected respondent will receive an Apple iPad, and 10 others will receive certificates good for a one-year subscription to FPM in print. You might just do well for yourself while doing good for your colleagues.
Taking the survey
To make responding convenient, we are publishing the survey instrument both in the print issue of FPM and online through the FPM web site. The easiest way to submit a survey is to go online to https://www.aafp.org/fpm/ehrsurvey. Just select your answer choices, click Submit, and you're done. Be sure to respond by March 31, 2011. Your colleagues will thank you.
