In battling burnout, one giant step is there for the taking.
The numbers are alarming. Studies reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH) show that fifty percent of providers are burned out.[1] The American Psychology Association reported last year that the percentage of psychologists who reported not being able to meet the demand for mental health care rose from thirty percent in 2020 to a whopping forty-six percent in 2022. Almost half reported battling burnout in 2022.[2]
Forces at work
The drivers of provider burnout are well understood: Long hours, burdensome administrative duties, never-ending EHR management, a spike in demand, understaffing, toxic workplace cultures with heavy workloads, dwindling work-life balance, a pandemic, another spike in demand…and on and on.
Of these burnout drivers, 60 percent of all doctors surveyed pointed the finger at bureaucratic tasks as the biggest burnout inducer.[3] I sure did.
The question I returned to time and again was this: How can a country so technologically advanced be so far behind the curve when it comes to the tools that we use every day to run a practice and provide care?
Head spinning. And to be more specific, EHR and practice management platforms have been notoriously slow to evolve even among a technological revolution like no other in human history. Frustration with my seemingly never-ending late nights working through non-clinical tasks pushed me to explore a solution.
It’s reasonable to assume there will always be issues that we have less control over, and others we could get a better handle on. For example, let’s assume that demand will always be high. In one sense, it should be. If for no other reason, we want more people to have access to the right care anytime and anywhere. This is what health equity is all about. We can be busy without being overwhelmed.
Let’s also assume that we are not (as we’ve learned) immune to widespread healthcare crises.
For me, the overarching issue comes back to technology, and it’s one thing we can do something about. I’ve long maintained that technology, used the right way, could be a game-changer for providers in desperate need of the right kind of support, and for patients who need better access to care and more flexibility with it.
In battling burnout, there are four areas where well-designed technology can have an immediate and long-term impact.
1. EHR
The idea behind EHR is certainly well intended. Few professionals, if any, question its potential for improving the accuracy of patient information, supporting patient/provider decision making, and facilitating the accessibility of patient records and therefore continuity of care.
The problem comes in the execution of the concept of EHR. Put simply, EHR systems require too much screen time. Poor user-experience design, and the time it takes to overcome it, pulls providers away from patients, eats into personal time, and erodes career satisfaction, to name just a few pitfalls.
2. Disparate systems
A mishmash of provider and patient tools belabors the process of care and undermines security and compliance. In mental health, it’s not uncommon for a provider to use one tool for onboarding, another for EHR, another for practice management, and yet another for virtual visits. A risky way to run a practice.
3. Redundant processes
Redundancy in healthcare is a fine thing when leveraged to ensure safety in the process of delivering care. But too much of the excessive redundancy in healthcare today has little to do with safety. More so, it’s the manifestation of the previously mentioned disparate systems. Providers and patients spend too much valuable time repeating steps throughout the process of care. Patients grow frustrated hearing the same fundamental questions again and again.
4. Patient access
As the technology footprint grows in the healthcare ecosystem, more patients will trip over its current design and miss the opportunity for care altogether. Today’s tech mentality in healthcare largely assumes that everybody has access to the same technology. Far from reality. Healthcare also assumes that everybody has the same level of mastery over technology when they do have access to it, an unfortunate assumption.
Battling burnout starts with thoughtful design
In all four examples, technology can be the savior, not the goat that butts providers away from such important careers and patients away from care. But to get there, we need a wholesale attitude shift about technology. We need thoughtfully designed technology that’s inspired by listening and observation. Note how patients and providers use technology today and what they need to be more successful in the process of seeking, delivering, and receiving care. Thoughtful design should also be mindful of how to adapt technology to fit the situation so that it’s more accessible, equitable, and scalable. No more assumptions.
Seamless integration of all essential practice tools is completely doable. We’re doing it. With the right tech design, workflow efficiencies await—on a transformational level. Less work on administrative and EHR tasks creates more time for care and opens opportunities for providers to explore alternative solutions when traditional treatments aren’t getting it done. All of which lead to a higher chance for better outcomes and greater job satisfaction. On that note, we see how technology can not only help to tamp down burnout, but also dial up career satisfaction which will attract more new providers into the field.
In battling burnout, there’s work to do beyond fixing technology of course. But we can plainly see how the right tech platforms in the healthcare ecosystem can make for a giant step forward.
It’s within our grasp.
Samant Virk, MD, is the founder and CEO of MediSprout