3 Ways to Support Physician Productivity

The easiest way to describe physician productivity is the amount of work that a physician completes in their day. Some practices have found themselves with low productivity levels and are trying to determine the best way to address the problem. What causes this and what can providers do to support physician productivity?

Common Causes for The Reduction in Physician Productivity:

1) Poor Electronic Workflow

A physician’s electronic workflow directly impacts their level of productivity. Several things can impact their electronic workflow. For example, a physician may not be working efficiently because they do not understand the software your practice is using, the software may be difficult to navigate for your team overall, or the software may not be designed to fit your specialty. The software your practice is using is important to support physician productivity as they spend a large amount of their time documenting encounters, ordering prescriptions, messaging patients, and more.

2) Physician Burnout

If you are experiencing low levels of productivity among your physicians, you may need to access whether or not some of your staff is experiencing burnout. Physician burnout is defined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) as “a long-term stress reaction marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of sense of personal accomplishment.” A physician experiencing burnout may be struggling to remain productive throughout their day. Addressing physician burnout at your practice will support physician productivity.

Support Physician Productivity:  

Strong Leadership Communication

As the leader of your practice, it is up to you to set the standard for communication. Listening to your physicians about what they need to be able to work effectively and implementing changes accordingly will not only support physician productivity but also decrease physician burnout.

Quality EHR Partner

Your Electronic Health Record should not be slowing you down, it should be the example of what it means to support physician productivity. Below are features to look for in a specialty EHR that will support physician productivity.

1)    Specialty-Specific

A quality EHR that is tailored to the unique identity of your practice will help simplify the workflow of each of your physicians. For example, a list of prescriptions and work order specific to your specialty enable efficiency and accuracy in one’s workflow.

2) Custom Workflow

Each one of your physicians has a workflow that empowers their highest level of productivity. Instead of trying to force a physician to share an identical workflow, your EHR should allow them to customize one that works for them. Custom templates and dashboards make it possible for providers to support physician productivity.

3) Mobile Technology

Mobile technology is the future of the Electronic Health Record. Your software partner should offer a mobile solution that enables your providers to stay on top of messages from patients, access patient health information on-the-go, and document in real-time. Mobile technology is a great way to support physician productivity.

Team-Oriented Atmosphere

Lastly, providers should make sure their practice maintains a team-oriented atmosphere if they wish to support physician productivity. If your team is struggling to work together, and everyone is trying to do everything on their own, your productivity might as well be flushed down the drain. By working together, everyone will find it easier to accomplish more in their day. A great way to cultivate a team-oriented atmosphere is to utilize an integrated software solution that enables smoother communication between departments. For example, an integrated EHR practice management solution makes it easier for physicians to communicate with front-line staff while decreasing duplicate data entry.

Improving physician productivity at your practice is essential to making sure your staff has what they need to provide quality care to their patients while feeling positive about their job in the process. To learn more about reducing physician burnout and how to support physician productivity, click here.