| This qualitative phenomenological research explored physicians' perceptions and lived experiences of the effect of information technology on medical practice that revealed obstacles to adoption. The slow adoption of EMRs in medical practice remained a problem, despite the federal government incentive packages for physicians to use the new technology in their practices. Amidst political, economic, and safety concerns, extensive advancements in healthcare information technology have militated for the adoption and use of the EMR systems by physicians in the United States. But the current rates of EMR adoption have yet to achieve the expected results in quality control, cost reduction, and implementation of new methods in healthcare. A purposive sample of 19 physicians voluntarily participated in face-to-face interviews by responding to open-ended questions concerning this subject. Moustakas' modified van Kaam method (1994) was used for the resulting data analysis. Five major themes emerged from the phenomenal analysis that was categorized as Challenges: (a) loss of control; (b) lack of operability; and Benefits: (a) physician access to information; (b) support for physician decisions; and (c) financial improvements. Two minor themes also emerged from each category in the study. Knowledge gained could serve as an impetus for healthcare leaders to modernize workplaces and remove barriers that potentially impact physician-patient relationships. Replication of this study is recommended, using different demographics to explore perceptions of generational populations, geographic culture differences, and sizes. |
