Resources

Today, with so many physicians adjusting their processes and procedures in the wake of staffing shortages and other business realities, it is a good time to address how in-person scribes impact the physician-patient relationship. 

For the typical physician's office, the COVID-19 pandemic upended many aspects of the traditional service structure. Yet, as the world recovers, providers have been forced to adapt to new–seemingly permanent–realities, like rigid safety protocols, declining staff counts and increasing demand for telemedicine. The resulting impact on some aspects of the doctor-patient service environment has been significant.

Being a mother and a physician has never been a walk in the “balanced life” park. It’s more like an all-out sprint. And today – despite the fact that women make up a greater-than-ever portion of the overall physician category – they run it while carrying weight their male counterparts don’t.

For female physicians, 2019 marked a monumental achievement. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), that was the first year in which the majority of U.S. medical school students (50.5%) were women. This tracks with years of a steady rise in women as a percentage of the physician workforce, which increased from 28.3% in 2007 to 36.3% in 2019.

All providers strive to deliver quality care and support to patients. However, just like any profession, even the top-performing medical personnel can get caught up in "going through the motions" and become complacent. In a time of “healthcare burnout” and “quiet quitting”, clinicians must stay vigilant to ensure work and care quality throughout their practice holds strong.

In what has been referred to as a “bold bet on primary care,” retail giant Amazon recently acquired a primary care company named One Medical in a whopping $3.9 billion deal. This decision by Amazon has made one thing abundantly clear: When it comes to virtual health care, there’s a healthy demand—and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

It’s an age-old adage that’s been exacerbated over the last few years: How can you be expected to take care of others when you don’t have time to take care of yourself? Yet, regardless of their exhaustion and burnout, healthcare workers must show up every day prepared to provide care for others. Most providers feel that the relentless demand leaves them with little choice.

In today’s busy world, the convenience of telehealth holds great promise. With just a couple clicks and a brief chat, we’re able to check off our check-ups easier than ever and get on with our day. But as telehealth continues to become more acceptable to patients, there’s a group of people who aren’t quite as eager to move healthcare in a more digital direction, and their title may surprise you: Doctors.

As documentation demands reach an all-time high and burnout continues to tighten its grip on the healthcare industry, momentum is building for the notion that doctors need time to “slack” to be effective.

With all the monumental changes to peoples’ lives brought about by the pandemic, several ripple effects took hold.  Without long commutes, people were home in time for dinner with their families, for their kids’ bedtimes, and for walks and bike rides and conversations. People had more time to take a breath and be together. Although it took a global health crisis, an obvious realization occurred: A healthy work-life balance is no longer just a nice perk. It’s now a mandatory requirement for all workers.