Download PDF
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Appl Clin Inform
DOI: 10.1055/a-2283-9036
Research Article

Clinician Needs for EHR Pediatric and Adolescent Weight Management Tools: A Mixed-Methods Study

Amy S Braddock
1   Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Taylor Bosworth
2   School of Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Parijat Ghosh
3   Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Rachel Proffitt
4   School of Health Professions, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Lauren Flowers
2   School of Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Emma Montgomery
5   Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Gwendolyn Wilson
6   Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN6915)
,
Aneesh Tosh
7   Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
,
Richelle J Koopman
8   Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri System, Columbia, United States (Ringgold ID: RIN2628)
› Author AffiliationsSupported by: University of Missouri TRIUMPH (Translational Research Informing Useful a
Supported by: Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases P30DK092950
› Further Information
  PDF Download

Background: Clinicians play an important role in addressing pediatric and adolescent obesity, but their effectiveness is restricted by time constraints, competing clinical demands, and the lack of effective electronic health record (EHR) tools. EHR tools are rarely developed with provider input. Objectives: We conducted a mixed method study of clinicians who provide weight management care to children and adolescents to determine current barriers for effective care and explore the role of EHR weight management tools to overcome these barriers. Methods: In this mixed-methods study, we conducted three 1-hour long virtual focus groups at one medium-sized academic health center in Missouri and analyzed the focus group scripts using thematic analysis. We sequentially conducted descriptive statistical analysis of a survey emailed to pediatric and family medicine primary care clinicians (n=52) at two private and two academic health centers in Missouri. Results: Surveyed clinicians reported they effectively provided health behavior lifestyle counseling at well child visits (mean of 60 on a scale of 1-100) and child obesity visits (63); however, most felt the current healthcare system (27) and EHR tools (41) do not adequately support pediatric weight management. Major themes from the clinician focus groups were that EHR weight management tools should display data in a way that (1) improves clinical efficiency, (2) supports patient-centered communication, (3) improves patient continuity between visits, and (4) reduces documentation burdens. An additional theme was (5) clinicians trust patient data entered in real-time over patient recalled data. Conclusions: Study participants report that the health care system status quo and currently available EHR tools do not sufficiently support clinicians working to manage pediatric or adolescent obesity and provide health behavior counseling. Clinician input in the development and testing of EHR weight management tools provides opportunities to address barriers, inform content and improve efficiencies of EHR use.



Publication History

Received: 09 October 2023

Accepted after revision: 21 February 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
08 March 2024

© . The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany