Despite vaccines becoming widely available, COVID-19 is still going strong in 2021 — and so have all the stresses associated with this deadly pandemic. The medical community has been hit especially hard, selflessly risking their own health and working long hours to combat the virus. That’s not the only stressor that has been affecting providers, however.
According to the 2020 Medical Economics® Physician Burnout Survey, 91% of doctors said they have felt burned out from practicing medicine at some time during their career, while 71% reported feeling burned out at the time of the survey. When they were asked what caused their burnout, 31% of physicians mentioned too much paperwork, 15% stated a poor work-life balance, and 12% cited COVID-19.
So how can we learn from 2020 and improve the wellbeing of providers this year? While most doctors experience stress at some point, the good news is that advancements in healthcare technology have been able to directly address some of the chief complaints physicians have in their practice.
Here are a few simple ways to minimize burnout through software enhancements.
Say Goodbye to Clipboards with Electronic Forms
With over 30% of physicians complaining about too much paperwork last year, it’s time to scrap the paper trail and go digital. While consent forms and screeners still inevitably need to be completed by patients, electronic documentation makes the sending and organizing of them far more manageable, cutting down on the stresses associated with traditional paperwork. No more filing folders, sorting screeners, and piling paper onto clipboards for your team when you have every necessary form completed electronically before the time of the patient’s appointment.
Minimize After-hours Documentation Through Digital Check-in
Since 15% of physicians described burnout due to poor work-life balance in 2020, take strides to cut back on the amount of time spent focusing on work after your practice closes. Healthcare technology is able to decrease the need for after-hours patient chart documentation by capturing all necessary patient information through digital check-in software before the time of their appointment. By doing so, staff goes home on time and the need for double entry is a thing of the past, leading to an improved work-life balance for everyone, including physicians.
Embrace Telemedicine Technologies
With COVID-19 still impacting the healthcare community, it’s important to keep not only the health of your patients but also your staff in mind. One of the easiest ways to promote safety during this pandemic is to implement a telemedicine solution for your practice that seamlessly connects you to patients from the comfort of their own homes. Not only does telemedicine promote social distancing, but it also saves time for everyone involved. Better yet, by offering telemedicine, you’ll be able to see more patients per day, and in turn, ultimately increase profit at your practice.
An Improved Quality of Life with DocResponse
DocResponse’s digital healthcare solutions are some of the most time-saving, burnout-banishing products on the market. Here are just a few of the solutions we recommend to help you with all three of the above tips:
- Forms on Demand has the capability to send screeners, consent forms, and payment collections with the single click of a button to the device of your patient’s choice, eradicating the need for clipboards and allowing the patient to complete them anytime, anywhere.
- DocResponse’s powerful Digital Check-in tool enables pre-visit registration and intake, allowing patients to fill out all demographic, co-pay, HPI, ROS, and insurance information prior to their visit, making after-hours charting obsolete.
- Promote social distancing during COVID-19 with our single-click, HIPAA-compliant Telehealth solution, free of any inconvenient app downloads, which eliminates patient stress while simultaneously cutting back on your own.
Studies have shown that by using our software at your practice, you can expect:
- A 70% reduction of staff documentation time per patient visit
- 11 minutes saved by providers per visit
- 2 more patients seen per doctor per day
More time saved equates to more time spent with family and friends, more time to pursue leisure activities, and more time for some well-deserved relaxation. It’s not only a profitable choice; it’s the best one to ensure you’re living your best life.
2020 was a stressful time for everyone, but if you take the time to implement digital solutions into your practice, 2021 will be better. Schedule a demo today to learn more about how DocResponse stamps out stress at your practice!