Impact of a computer-based patient record system on data collection, knowledge organization, and reasoning.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of a computer-based patient record system on human cognition. Computer-based patient record systems can be considered "cognitive artifacts," which shape the way in which health care workers obtain, organize, and reason with knowledge.


METHODS
Study 1 compared physicians' organization of clinical information in paper-based and computer-based patient records in a diabetes clinic. Study 2 extended the first study to include analysis of doctor-patient-computer interactions, which were recorded on video in their entirety. In Study 3, physicians' interactions with computer-based records were followed through interviews and automatic logging of cases entered in the computer-based patient record.


RESULTS
Results indicate that exposure to the computer-based patient record was associated with changes in physicians' information gathering and reasoning strategies. Differences were found in the content and organization of information, with paper records having a narrative structure, while the computer-based records were organized into discrete items of information. The differences in knowledge organization had an effect on data gathering strategies, where the nature of doctor-patient dialogue was influenced by the structure of the computer-based patient record system.


CONCLUSIONS
Technology has a profound influence in shaping cognitive behavior, and the potential effects of cognition on technology design needs to be explored.
Patel
V L
VL
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. patel@hebbg.psych.mcgill.ca
Kushniruk
A W
AW
Yang
S
S
Yale
J F
JF
D003071:Cognition; D003197:Computer Literacy; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management; D007858:Learning; D008499:Medical Records; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*