Abstract:
Introduction:
The implementation of the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in hospital teaching units has promoted the integration of Health Information Technology (HIT) into medical education and clinical practice.
Objective:
The study analyzed teachers and preceptors’ perceptions about the integration of EHR in curricular practices at a public university.
Method:
A qualitative study, in which data was collected through semi-structured interviews with six medical professors and four preceptors. The study adopted as categories of analysis the domains of competences and learning results from the use of EHR, identified and improved in a British multicenter study (Digital Health, Data Access and Generation, Communication, Multiprofessional Work, Accompaniment and Monitoring). A new category entitled “Pedagogical Issues”, was included to stimulate subjects’ reflections on their pedagogical practices with the EHR. Thematic content analysis was used for data analysis.
Results:
Teachers and preceptors agree that students need formal guidance on how to use HIT in their educational and professional development, and to preserve the secrecy and confidentiality of information during patient care using the EHR. For them, the use of decision support systems associated with EHR contributes to the teaching-learning process, in addition to allowing greater visibility of information from other health professionals, and facilitates student access to patients’ clinical data. EHR is a support tool that has the potential to promote the use of active methodologies, to contextualize teaching, to provide student autonomy and authorship, and to instigate them in the search for knowledge.
Conclusion:
HIT curricular integration has been pointed out as a way for students to develop clinical competences and skills, when using EHR in their clinical practice units.
Keywords:
Electronic Health Record; Medical Education; Health Information Technology