In a 2016 time and motion study, physicians spent 27.0% of their office-day time with patients in direct face time and 49.2% on EHR and desk work.

Checked against its source on October 16, 2026

In the source's own words

“During the office day, physicians spent 27.0% of their total time on direct clinical face time with patients and 49.2% of their time on EHR and desk work.”

Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 Specialties, Christine Sinsky et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016.

Open the original (DOI 10.7326/M16-0961)

What it measures: Observed during office hours at U.S. ambulatory practices in four specialties. The 49.2% figure is the share of total office time, not of documentation alone.
What it does not show: 57 physicians in four states, in self-selected high-performing practices. The authors say the findings may not generalize.

Source

Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 SpecialtiesPeer-reviewed research · Christine Sinsky et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016

Used to calculate

In the 2016 time and motion study, 49.2 percent of the office day on EHR and desk work against 27.0 percent in face time works out at about 1.8 hours of EHR and desk work for every hour with patients.

Cited on

Fact · Dictation

49.2%of office-day time on EHR and desk work

In a 2016 time and motion study, physicians spent 27.0% of their office-day time with patients in direct face time and 49.2% on EHR and desk work.

Checked against its source on October 16, 2026

In the source's own words

“During the office day, physicians spent 27.0% of their total time on direct clinical face time with patients and 49.2% of their time on EHR and desk work.”

Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 Specialties, Christine Sinsky et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016.

Open the original (DOI 10.7326/M16-0961)

What it measures: Observed during office hours at U.S. ambulatory practices in four specialties. The 49.2% figure is the share of total office time, not of documentation alone.
What it does not show: 57 physicians in four states, in self-selected high-performing practices. The authors say the findings may not generalize.

Source

Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 SpecialtiesPeer-reviewed research · Christine Sinsky et al., Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016

Used to calculate

In the 2016 time and motion study, 49.2 percent of the office day on EHR and desk work against 27.0 percent in face time works out at about 1.8 hours of EHR and desk work for every hour with patients.