Reducing Cognitive Load in Ambulatory Care: Rethinking Workflow for Better Outcomes

December 1, 2025

When Screens Get in the Way of Care

For today’s clinicians, technology is a double-edged sword. While digital tools are essential for modern care, poorly designed interfaces and fragmented workflows can create an overwhelming cognitive burden. Ambulatory clinicians already juggle diagnostic reasoning, relationship-building and documentation—often in 15-minute windows. Every extra screen, redundant task or manual data entry pulls focus from patient interaction and contributes to decision fatigue.

Cognitive load, the mental effort required to process information, is a key contributor to clinician burnout. Every extra click, alert or scroll forces the brain to context-switch, inflating intrinsic (task-necessary) and extraneous (interface-induced) load. Studies using the NASA-TLX workload scale have shown that high scores in clinical environments—particularly in tasks like patient monitoring and EMR navigation—are associated with increased mental demand, effort and frustration. When Zurich investigators introduced an icon-driven “Visual Patient” display for anesthesia monitors, mean perceived workload fell by 23 percent, illustrating how good design immediately liberates cognitive bandwidth.

The Hidden Weight of “Just One More Click”

In ambulatory settings, seemingly minor inefficiencies add up. Consider a common scenario: a clinician toggling between an EMR, a blood pressure monitor and a separate screen to transcribe readings. Each step might seem insignificant alone, but together they introduce friction, errors and fatigue.

In a study of US ambulatory care physicians, Sinsky and colleagues found that physicians spend nearly twice as much time on desktop medicine (EMR and clerical work) as on direct patient care. And according to the American Medical Association, this imbalance is a leading contributor to burnout. When EMRs and devices lack integration, clinicians carry the burden, both mentally and physically.

Simplifying Interfaces, Strengthening Accuracy

Clinicians are not just data gatherers; they are decision-makers who rely on fast, accurate information. When interfaces are intuitive and workflows are predictable, clinicians can focus on care, not the screen.

NASA-TLX assessments reinforce this: Melnick and colleagues found that more favorable perceived EHR usability was associated with less workload and burnout among US physicians. Simplification isn’t just a usability perk; it’s a safety strategy.

Designing Workflows That Support the Brain

Reducing cognitive load starts with aligning clinical workflow to clinician behavior. This means rethinking how space, equipment and data flow intersect.

• Position diagnostic tools within immediate reach

• Use connected devices to automate data transfer to EMRs

• Optimize room layout for cognitive and physical efficiency

• Eliminate redundant steps, like re-entering vital signs results or backtracking across the room

Reducing cognitive burden isn’t just about improving the clinician’s experience. It's about building a safer, more resilient healthcare environment where accuracy thrives—and burnout subsides.

The Midmark connected ecosystem is designed with this in mind. Integrating the Midmark® Digital Vital Signs Device, IQvitals® Zone™ or Midmark® Digital ECG with DICOM compatibility, enables real-time syncing of patient data directly into the EMR, reducing the steps and screen time required per patient. The result? Fewer errors, faster throughput and a more engaged care team.

Reducing extraneous cognitive load is a performance multiplier. When intuitive interfaces allow clinicians to spend less cognitive energy on the machine, they can invest in more care to the patient, boosting safety, throughput and satisfaction in each visit.

Want to Learn More?

Explore our Resource Center for tools and guidance:

• How Greater Connectivity Can Transform the Delivery of Care

• Building Your Connected Point of Care Ecosystem

• Combating Clinical Burnout: The Crucial Role of Clinic Design and Workflow Management

• Connected Exam Room Checklist

About the Author

Erica Johnson, PhD, is a member of the Clinical Affairs team at Midmark, where she supports clinical research initiatives that inform product development and workflow optimization. With a background in biomedical engineering and neuroscience, she brings a unique perspective shaped by her research training and real-world evidence approach. Erica is passionate about designing healthcare solutions that not only meet clinical needs but also enhance the caregiver and patient experience.