JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The cognitive load theory suggests that completing a task relies on the interplay between sensory input, working memory and long-term memory. Cognitive overload occurs when the working memory’s limited capacity is exceeded due to excessive information processing. In healthcare, clinicians face increasing cognitive load as the complexity of patient care has risen, leading to potential burnout. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have become a common feature in modern healthcare, offering improved access to data and the ability to provide better patient care. They have been added to the electronic ecosystem alongside emails and other resources, such as guidelines and literature searches. Concerns have arisen in recent years that despite many benefits, the use of EHRs may lead to cognitive overload, which can impact the performance and well-being of clinicians.

Objective:

Understanding the relationship between the use of EHR and cognitive load and their relationship with burnout in healthcare professionals. We also wanted to see if there are gaps in the literature on this subject and highlight how these ca be addressed in the future.

Methods:

In this review, we have explored the link between EHR use, cognitive load and burnout among healthcare professionals based on current literature.

Results:

The findings suggest that exposure to large amounts of clinical data available in EHR can lead to cognitive overload and burnout, calling for strategies to mitigate these effects. Several factors, such as the presentation of information in the EHR, the speciality, the healthcare setting and the time spent completing documentation, can contribute to this excess cognitive load and resulting burnout.

Conclusions:

The review highlights the importance of addressing cognitive overload as one of the unintended consequences of EHR adoption and identifies gaps in the current literature requiring further exploration.