Assessing expectations of surgical end-users through prospective surveying during a period of electronic health record transition

Electronic health records (EHRs) are essential for modern healthcare delivery, data management, and patient safety, but fragmented systems limit interoperability and workflow efficiency. We surveyed surgical end-users during a transition period to a unified regional EHR platform to assess perceptions of the current EHR and expectations for the new system. Findings from the prospective electronic survey showed that trainees reported higher perceived documentation burden and expressed strong optimism for the new EHR, anticipating improvements in usability, workflow efficiency, and mobile access while attendings emphasized structured support and vendor engagement. These findings underscore the importance of optimizing workflows and usability challenges in current EHR systems and provide end-user informed priorities for implementation. Incorporating user perspectives and providing targeted support may improve adoption and help ensure successful EHR transition and implementation.