Why Doctors Hate Software, And What We’ve Done to Change That

If you’ve spent any time with physicians, you know they don’t hold back their opinions. And when it comes to software, especially electronic health records (EHRs), many doctors are vocal about their frustrations. Throughout my professional journey, I’ve had thousands of conversations with providers across every kind of specialty and practice size. Whether it’s a solo family physician or a multi-provider cardiology group, one piece of feedback remains constant: “I became a doctor to treat patients, not to fight my software.”

That statement has shaped the way we build healthcare technology.

In this blog, I want to be candid about why doctors hate software, the design failures that created this resentment, and, most importantly, what we’ve done to fix it.

The purpose here is to encourage positive dialogue. This write-up is a reflection from someone who’s spent 15+ years designing software for real doctors, with real deadlines, real patients, and real burnout.

Understanding the Frustration

Doctors didn’t always hate software. In fact, many were hopeful. 
But over time, hope turned into friction. 
Let’s unpack why.

1. The Software Eats the Clock

Clinicians are trained to think critically, listen deeply, and diagnose accurately. But modern software makes them spend more time clicking than caring. The average provider spends 2 to 3 hours a day on documentation. In many systems, even simple tasks like adding vitals or ordering labs require navigating multiple screens.

Real quote from a physician:
“It takes me longer to type the note than it took me to evaluate the patient. That’s backwards.”

2. It Was Designed for Billing, Not for Care

Many EHRs were initially built to satisfy insurance requirements and Meaningful Use checkboxes. The clinical interface was an afterthought. As a result, documentation often feels like a compliance ritual, and not a tool to improve outcomes.

3. Too Many Alerts. Too Little Intelligence.

Doctors are bombarded with pop-ups: drug interactions, allergy warnings, duplicate tests. These are meant to protect patients, but when they’re poorly designed or irrelevant, they cause alert fatigue. The doctor clicks ‘override’ just to get through the chart.

4. Every Click Is a Cognitive Load

Unlike a consumer app, clinical software must capture nuance, history, context, and intent. But that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. Yet, many systems require dozens of clicks to do what could be done in one well-designed flow.

5. Doctors Weren’t in the Room When It Was Designed

This might be the most important reason of all. Too many healthcare products were built by engineers, not clinicians. The result? Interfaces that reflect data structure, not human thought process.

Listening to What Doctors Really Want

Over the years, we stopped assuming. We started sitting in clinics, observing behavior, shadowing encounters, and asking the simple question: “What do you wish this system did instead?”

Here’s what they told us.

1. Speed. Speed. Speed.

Doctors don’t want to wait. The system needs to load instantly, autocomplete accurately, and make it easier to do repetitive tasks.

2. Minimal Clicks

“Can I do this in fewer steps?” became our design mantra.

3. Smart Defaults

If a doctor always prescribes a certain antibiotic for sinus infections, the system should suggest it. Not force a dropdown search every time.

4. Visual Simplicity

No one wants to decode a complex interface during a busy clinic day. Clean layout, logical flows, and reduced cognitive load were non-negotiables.

5. Charting That Mirrors Their Thinking

Doctors think in stories and logic. The system should allow that kind of narrative, not just structured fields.

6. Voice and Mobile Options

They wanted to talk, not type. To review on the go. To document while dictating. And not be tied to a desktop station.

What We’ve Done to Change That

Here are the specific things we’ve built to earn back the trust of the people who use our software every day.

1. Built With Doctors in the Room

Every design sprint includes practicing clinicians from the target specialty. We don’t finalize flows until they’ve signed off.

2. Specialty-Specific Interfaces

We don’t believe in one interface for all. Our OB dashboard looks different than our pain management dashboard. And that’s by design.

3. AI Charting That Writes Itself

The note builds as you talk. Vitals pull in. History shows up. The result? A structured, clean chart that’s done by the time the patient leaves.

4. Adaptive Learning Engine

Our system learns provider behavior. If Dr. John always orders the same labs for diabetes follow-up, it becomes one-click.

5. Real-Time Analytics That Make Sense

You don’t need a data team. We built dashboards that show doctors clinical trends and help admins track revenue, no-shows, and bottlenecks.

6. Alert Optimization

We fine-tuned alerts by specialty. No more redundant pop-ups. Critical warnings are preserved, while the noise is reduced.

7. Mobile & Tablet Support

Doctors can review charts, sign off labs, or even dictate from their mobile app. It syncs instantly with the main record.

8. No Hidden Menus or Nested Clicks

Everything is visible within two clicks. Need to see meds, past notes, or labs? They’re on the same page, not buried in a tab.

9. Labs, Fully Integrated

No toggling tabs or faxing orders. Our EHR connects directly with national labs. Results flow in fast and land where they’re needed.

10. E-Prescribing Without the Friction

We auto-check drug interactions, prior auths, and coverage. If a med won’t go through, we suggest one that will, before you hit send.

The Cultural Change We Embraced

Design is about values (not only UX). We changed our internal culture to revolve around the provider experience.

1. Monthly Physician Roundtables

We host monthly feedback sessions where active users can demo features, vote on enhancements, and share frustrations.

2. Clinician Product Advisory Board

A group of specialists who act as co-designers. They help shape roadmaps, test prototypes, and ensure specialty-fit.

3. Experience Over Feature Creep

We prioritize a faster, smoother chart over adding 100 new options that will go unused.

4. Support That Understands Clinical Urgency

Our support team includes RNs and certified coders. That means we understand clinical context.

The Impact We’ve Seen

Here’s what changed after we implemented these philosophies and features:

• Charting time reduced by 90% for high-volume specialties like urgent care and internal medicine
• User satisfaction increased (we measure NPS quarterly)
• Fewer support tickets related to navigation, speed, or confusion
• Clinics report better patient face time, thanks to less post-visit documentation
• Providers feel heard and report less frustration during their day

Real words from a client:

“For the first time, I feel like my EHR understands how I practice. I’m not wrestling with it anymore. It works for me.”

What You Should Ask Before Choosing an EHR

If you’re in the market for a system, ask these questions:

• Was this system designed with actual doctors in the room?
• Can my providers complete charts in under 5 minutes?
• How many clicks does it take to do a follow-up note?
• Can it adapt to our workflow, or do we have to adapt to it?
• Do the alerts make sense, or do they just slow us down?
• Will my doctors use this, or will they hate it?
  
  

Final Thoughts: It’s Time to Rebuild Trust

Doctors don’t hate technology. They hate bad technology.

They’re willing to adapt, learn, and evolve, but only when the tools actually support their mission: to deliver good care, efficiently and safely. Our job as builders is to respect that mission.

We changed how we build software so we could earn back that respect. And we’re just getting started.

If your doctors are complaining about your current system, they’re not being difficult. They’re being honest. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to listen.

See what a doctor-first EHR looks like. Book a personalized demo and let us show you how software can work for your providers.