{
  "abstract": "Objectives This study aims to assess electronic health record (EHR) use in physiotherapy, identify factors influencing its adoption and evaluate physiotherapists’ perceptions of its relevance.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 138 licensed physiotherapists recruited through digital platforms. EHR utilisation was evaluated using the RSEFisio scale, a validated instrument designed to capture multiple dimensions of EHR use in physiotherapy. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to examine usage patterns and contextual factors. The study followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.Results The EHR utilisation rate was 78.3%. Higher utilisation was significantly associated with adequate time allocated for documentation (p =0.001), systematic recording for all patients (p=0.013) and multi-professional access to records (p=0.043). The frequency of documentation was closely linked to the perceived clinical relevance of recorded items.Discussion Despite the high level of EHR utilisation, physiotherapy documentation remains incomplete and driven by perceived clinical relevance. Utilisation improves with adequate time, standardised recording and interprofessional access. Inconsistent data quality undermines continuity of care and limits secondary uses, including artificial intelligence integration. Strengthening documentation is essential to improve clinical workflows and support data-driven decision-making in physiotherapy.Conclusion Physiotherapists recognise the value of comprehensive documentation, but report limited time and incomplete records. The disconnect between awareness and practice highlights the need for practical, system-level strategies to support more consistent and effective EHR use in physiotherapy.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Centre, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal",
        "Unidade Local de Saúde do Norte Alentejano EPE, Portalegre, Portugal"
      ],
      "name": "Sara Luísa Vaz"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Centre, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal",
        "National School of Public Health, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal"
      ],
      "name": "Pedro Vargues de Aguiar"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "NOVA National School of Public Health, Public Health Research Centre, Comprehensive Health Research Centre, CHRC, REAL, CCAL, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal",
        "Public Health Research Centre (PHRC/CISP), National School of Public Health, Lisbon, Portugal",
        "Direcção-Geral da Saúde, Lisbon, Portugal"
      ],
      "name": "Carla Pereira"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal",
        "Comprehensive Health Research Centre (CHRC), NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NMS, FCM, NOVA University Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal"
      ],
      "name": "André Moreira-Rosário"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Electronic health record use in physiotherapy: adoption, perceived relevance and utilisation patterns—a cross-sectional study",
  "uid": "375f1be9-1607-542d-a97d-63361b22ebb7"
}