Medscape conducted a survey of 15,000 physicians to determine how many doctors experience burnout and depression. The result revealed that an astounding 42 percent suffer burnout with 15 percent reporting some type of depression. ReactDx, ECG monitor experts, examine the use of technology as a preventative tool to help prevent physician burnout so that these numbers can be reduced in the future.
EHR Must Be Fully Integrated
No matter which Electronic Health Record (EHR) vendor a physician chooses for his or her office, it must be fully integrated across all platforms. If this isn’t done, it will take longer for nurses and doctors to retrieve the information, causing a delay that can lead to patient backup. It is also essential that the technology not be overly sophisticated, which can also take up a physician’s time. For example, having to complete multiple steps to log on to the system rather than having a simplified, one-step sign in.
Information Must Be Easily Located
Unfortunately, some EHR programs are difficult to navigate and require clicking through multiple screens before getting to the patient’s records. In order to prevent physician burnout, it is essential that the information is easy to locate. Aspire Ventures is partnering with Clio Health, Lancaster General Health, and Capital Blue Cross to do just that. They created the Smart Health Innovation Lab which will develop new healthcare technologies that will benefit doctors, hospitals, and health insurance companies. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center also has a partnership with Microsoft; its goal is to transform the technology so that it cures physician burnout — not cause it.
Streamlined Communication is Key
Another way to use technology to help physicians meet the needs of their patients in a timely manner is to ensure that programs streamline communication between members of a patient’s care team. Mobile devices are excellent for this, as they allow for encrypted text messages that are delivered much more quickly than email and voice messages.
While there is work to be done on making the technology more user-friendly, it does show promise in preventing physician burnout. ReactDx supplies a line of ECG monitors that work well with mobile devices for the quick delivery of test results. Call ReactDx at 800-234-3278 to learn more, or visit our News & Updates page.
