Technology frustration in healthcare - does it matter in staff ratings of stress, emotional exhaustion, and satisfaction with care? A cross-sectional correlational study using the job demands-resources theory.

Abstract

Background: Health information technology has developed into a cornerstone of modern healthcare. It has changed workflows and enhanced communication, efficiency, and patient safety. However, technological development has progressed faster than research on its potential effects on care quality and the healthcare work environment. Using the Job Demand-Resources theory, this study investigated the associations between "frustration with technology" and three outcomes: stress, emotional exhaustion, and staff satisfaction with care, holding job resources and the demand workload constant.

Method: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted between January and April 2022. Healthcare staff from different professions (e.g., physicians, registered nurses, physiotherapists, licensed practical nurses) and workplaces (n = 417, response rate 31%) answered a survey regarding job demands and resources in the workplace, frustration with technology, stress, emotional exhaustion, and satisfaction with care. Data were analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple variables, one for each outcome, were tested with Generalized Estimated Equations models in SPSS.

Results: The bivariate correlation analyses confirmed statistically significant associations between all the independent variables and the outcomes, except for the independent variable high workload. A high workload was associated with stress and emotional exhaustion but not with staff satisfaction with care. In the three GEE models, one for each outcome, higher stress was statistically significantly associated with more frustration with technology and lower scores for the variables participation in decision-making, sense of community at work, and higher workload. Higher emotional exhaustion was associated with more frustration with technology, higher workload, a lower teamwork climate, and lower growth opportunities. Lower staff satisfaction with care was associated with lower scores for the variable participation in decision-making.

Conclusions: Taking other variables into account, technology frustration matters in staff ratings of stress and emotional exhaustion, but not with the satisfaction of given care. Future studies should aim to further investigate what causes technology frustration and how to mitigate it.