Provider interaction with the electronic health record: The effects on patient-centered communication in medical encounters

EHR activity consumes an increasing proportion of clinicians' time during consultations. To ensure effective communication with their patients, clinicians may benefit from using communication strategies that maintain the flow of conversation when working with the computer, as well as from learning EHR management skills that prevent extended periods of gaze at computer and long periods of silence. Next-generation EHR design must address better usability and clinical workflow integration, including facilitating patient-clinician communication.