EHR inefficiencies continue to strain practice operations, survey shows

Electronic health record (EHR) systems remain a major operational pressure point for medical practices, according to survey data from Physicians Practice. The findings highlight persistent inefficiencies that practice administrators say complicate staffing, scheduling and overall productivity.

While 35.3% of respondents said they were very satisfied with their EHR’s support for efficient, high-quality care, the majority reported some degree of frustration. About 36% described their satisfaction level as neutral or negative, suggesting many systems still fall short of supporting streamlined workflows.

For practice leaders, the biggest concern may be where clinicians are losing time. The survey found that 41.2% of users said entering notes or orders consumes the largest share of their clinical day, followed by 28.9% who pointed to inbox management. Another 24.4% said navigating the patient chart is their greatest time sink. These delays ripple across the practice, affecting room turnover, inbox triage, patient flow and staffing needs.

When asked what single improvement would most reduce burnout and improve efficiency, respondents overwhelmingly chose reducing clicks and keystrokes (41.3%). Faster system performance (19.2%) and better mobile access (18.2%) were also high priorities—reflecting common administrative challenges such as remote inbox work, after-hours documentation and physician schedule backlogs.

For practice administrators working to stabilize workloads and maintain access, the message is clear: optimizing the EHR remains one of the most direct paths to improving operational efficiency and reducing staff strain.