Date of Award
2025
Degree Name
Business Administration
College
College of Business
Type of Degree
D.B.A.
Document Type
Dissertation
First Advisor
Dr. Alberto Coustasse
Second Advisor
Dr. Rick Weible
Third Advisor
Dr. E. Michael Robie
Abstract
The integration of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems has transformed healthcare delivery, offering enhanced data accessibility, improved communication, and operational efficiency. However, concerns persist regarding the potential erosion of patient-centered care due to EMR overutilization. This study investigated how hospitalists’ use of EMR systems correlates with patient satisfaction, focusing on the dynamics of physician communication, hospital length of stay, and regional characteristics. Using a comprehensive framework combining Resource Dependency Theory and Donabedian’s Structure-Process-Outcome model, the research examines the influence of demographic, technological, and structural factors on healthcare outcomes.
The analysis, based on patient survey data from a large integrated delivery system in the southeastern United States, reveals a modest positive association between EMR usage and patient satisfaction, underscoring the potential of EMRs to enhance care delivery when optimally integrated. Regional disparities were evident, with rural hospitals achieving higher satisfaction scores, possibly due to more personalized care approaches.
These findings also challenge assumptions about generational technology adoption, as older hospitalists demonstrated slightly higher EMR usage, suggesting a complex interplay of experience, institutional expectations, and workflow integration. This study contributes to the understanding of how hospitalist EMR usage affects patient satisfaction, particularly in terms of physician communication. The findings will provide insights for hospital administrators and policymakers on optimizing EMR integration to support, rather than hinder, patient-centered care.
Subject(s)
Industrial management.
Medical care -- Administration.
Medical records -- Data processing.
Patient-centered health care.
Recommended Citation
Cox, Brian H., "Beyond the screen: assessing the impact of hospitalist reliance on electronic medical records in patient-centered care" (2025). Theses, Dissertations and Capstones. 1916.
https://mds.marshall.edu/etd/1916
Included in
Business Administration, Management, and Operations Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Health Information Technology Commons
