Table 2 Workarounds and user-perceived benefits and risks
From: Persisting workarounds in Electronic Health Record System use: types, risks and benefits
Category | Workaround | Identification | Benefits | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
In-system workflow sequence workarounds | Ignoring pop-ups | Interview (5x) NU, PH | Improved workflow (U), time savings (U) | Jeopardize patient safety (P), false sense of safety (P) |
Pre-starting a patient’s visit | Observation (2x), interview (2x) PH | Improved workflow (U) | Incorrect billing (H) | |
In-system data entry workarounds | Copy-pasting | Observation (2x), interview (7x) PH, SS, MA | Improved workflow (U), time savings (U), better overview (U) | Extra work (U), loss of potential system support (S), hindering research (H) |
Using separate text fields | Interview (8x) NU, PH, SS | Better overview (U) | Hindering research (U), loss of overview (U) | |
Leaving data fields empty | Observation (1x), interview (5x) PH | Improved workflow (U), time savings (U) | Loss of potential system support (S), cascading errors (P) | |
Sharing login details | Interview (5x) SS | Improved workflow (U) | Abuse of details (U), jeopardize patient safety (P) | |
Entering incorrect data | Interview (2x) NU, PH | Improved workflow (U) | False sense of safety (P) | |
Out-system workaround | Using paper | Observation (1x), interview (12x) NU, PH, SS, MA | Improved workflow (U), increased patient contact (P) | Extra work (U), loss of data (U), loss of overview (U), jeopardize patient safety (P) |
Using shadow systems | Interview (6x) PH, SS, MA | Better overview (U), improved workflow (P), improvements of the system (S) | Extra work (U), system not up-to-date (S) | |
Giving verbal consent for dispensing medication | Interview (3x) NU, PH | Improved workflow (U), time savings (U), improved patient care (P) | System not up-to-date (S), cascading errors (P) | |
Separating a scanner from its COW | Interview (1x) NU | Improved patient care (P) | Jeopardize patient safety (P) |