Advertising or Evidence?—Why We Need System Changes in Academia to Improve Media Reporting

Abstract

Limitations include use of a measure of EHR work that considers only when clinicians are actively working (thus likely underestimating total time spent on the EHR), a focus on ambulatory practices, an inability to describe the breakdown of after-hours activity, and lack of accounting for time spent by scribes on documentation.The interspecialty differences we have identified are important given the known associations between administrative burden and clinician burnout. Further investigation should seek to characterize the reasons underlying these differences and identify interventions that reduce the EHR burden.

Preventing Media-Based False Hopes

“…Researchers cannot underestimate the importance of cowriting these press releases with their communications colleagues. As pointed out in the Invited Commentary by McCartney, recent research has found a strong association between exaggerated news and overstated press releases . Furthermore, when medical professionals are interviewed by journalists or asked for their opinion on research or health news, they should be keenly aware of the substantial influence that any overstated or premature claims can have on patient expectations.…”