Electronic health records (EHRs) are now ubiquitous in primary care in most developed countries, offering significant benefits for patient safety and care quality.1 However, as their functionality and complexity have increased, they increasingly divert clinicians’ attention from patients.2 This is particularly true in systems like the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, where the funding model makes EHR use essential for the survival of primary care practices.3 More broadly, the digitalisation of primary care and growing reliance on electronic documentation, coding and data entry to meet administrative, financial and regulatory requirements have added complexity to clinical workflows.4 These digital demands can disrupt traditional doctor–patient communication, making it harder for general practitioners (GPs) to maintain direct, person-centred interactions.2,5

Clinicians can spend twice as much time on EHR tasks, such as documentation and order entry, as on direct patient care, creating a sense of administrative burden.2 During consultations, focusing on EHRs for documentation can leave both patients and clinicians feeling that the interaction is deprioritised.2,5–7 Patients value being the focus of their clinician’s attention, yet computer use can make clinicians appear distracted, less compassionate and less professional.5,8,9 Clinicians report administrative burden, burnout risk and misalignment with patient-centred care in these situations.2,4 Moreover, non-verbal cues may be overlooked, potentially compromising patient safety.10,11