March 6, 2023
Modern healthcare relies heavily on electronic health records to manage many administrative tasks. However, mediocre EHR software can lead to physician burnout and unfortunate defeats that cause clerical burdens.
EHR software adoption was introduced to minimize clerical duties and allow physicians to spend more time with patients. Regrettably, some physicians who use EHR solutions are less satisfied and even more burned out than those who rely on manual labor.
As a result of the advent of EHRs, many providers report working longer hours and performing their clerical duties at home during the evenings or on weekends. Several others have noted that EHR software is designed to simplify billing, not improve clinical care - so tasks such as refilling prescriptions take more time.
In 2016, 84.5% of providers in the United States used electronic health records, according to Mayo Clinic Proceedings, EHR users reported feeling they needed more time on clerical tasks. Their professional burnout was also high.
Following are some root causes of physician burnout.
A flawed EHR solution requires more time to manage than a paper-based system. Spending too much time on computers instead of paying attention to patients can lead to substandard quality patient care and even physician burnout. It badly impacts patient experience and patient satisfaction.
They continuously switch between entering data on the EHR system and communicating with patients. It results in fatigue and difficulty concentrating on the task leading to poor quality data entry and patient communication. Moreover, this type of multitasking can lead to frustration and stress, further impairing concentration.
Repeating the same task over and over can lead to feelings of monotony and low morale. It can be especially difficult if there is no opportunity for more quality patient care. Without a sense of patient satisfaction, physicians may find it difficult to stay motivated and engaged in their work.
Many electronic health records (EHR) systems have overly complicated user interfaces, which can cause the user to spend long hours navigating the system or entering data. As a result, physicians may become frustrated and inefficient, leading to burnout.
Several EHR systems are designed for use by a particular healthcare facility. They are incompatible with other facilities or systems, making it difficult to transfer patient information between them. As a result, physicians may have to spend more time entering data and face an increased risk of errors, which is both mentally and physically exhausting.
The EHR system contains sensitive patient information, and ensuring the appropriate level of security is a significant challenge. A lack of protection can lead to data breaches and other security incidents that may cause physicians stress and anxiety.
In many EHR systems, physicians are required to document more information than necessary, leading to longer documentation times and an increased risk of errors. For physicians, this can be a major source of stress and frustration.
Organizations can implement the following strategies to tame the EHR and free up physicians' time.
Disruptions to the daily routine can be frustrating for physicians. Be prepared to deal with slow adoption and user resistance when implementing a brand-new EHR. Moreover, practices should look at some features before selecting the right EHR for their system.
After getting anew EHR software, medical practices should train physicians on it as soon as possible. It will alleviate practice stress and enhance practice operations. In addition, physicians should be taught in short sessions.
Your staff may need help with raining your physicians on the latest features and software updates. You should follow these tips:
EHR can become a powerful, comprehensive solution despite its many problems. EHRs offer built-in specialty content, customizable workflows, patient portals, intelligent billing, clearing house functionality with SMART dashboards, and business intelligence reports. Practice operations should improve with an EHR solution.
Collaboration, productivity, and service quality can only be achieved through an EHR that streamlines clinical, administrative, and financial operations. In addition to patient information, EHRs provide access to lab results and other information. Healthcare providers and patients can communicate more efficiently, increasing collaboration and improving patient outcomes. Furthermore, an EHR facilitates more efficient billing processes, which reduces administrative costs. Never compromise on empowering EHR software because it greatly impacts other integrations like telehealth and RPM.
Physician burnout compromises patient care. That's why physicians need the latest technology to automate clerical tasks and save time to spend more time with patients. Healthcare is very focused on patient experience and engagement. Healthcare quality is affected by EHR software.
Effective EHRs reduce physician burnout and make patients feel safer and more comfortable with physicians. talkEHR's electronic health records software is equipped with the latest technology and has everything you need to automate clerical tasks. It saves you time with the patient and greatly impacts the patient experience.
