The use of EHRs is now near-ubiquitous in hospitals and physician offices across the country. The technology provides easy access to patient information, supports standardized documentation, and enables provider-to-provider communication. Its benefits can include shortened length of stay, fewer prescribing errors, and reduced mortality. Nevertheless, EHRs remain a persistent headache for many physicians, some of […]
Category: Physician Network
Building Better Telemedicine Programs Through Physician Engagement
Over the last few years, telemedicine has become a widespread solution to the challenge of patient access, and a prominent trend in today’s consumer-focused healthcare landscape. A 2016 survey by Avizia found that these services are currently offered by 72% of hospitals and 52% of physician groups. Telemedicine has helped patients by allowing them to […]
Motivating Physicians to Attend Meetings
Healthcare organizations have a lot to gain from including physicians in meetings. Whether through leadership assemblies, committee meetings, or departmental huddles, physician participation can promote alignment and drive patient-centered change. This kind of engagement keeps the medical staff apprised of new developments and allows them to contribute their clinical expertise to operational decisions. It also […]
Robotic Surgery: Making Sure Physicians Are Prepared
The practice of robotic surgery has spread quickly since the year 2000, when the da Vinci Surgical System was first approved by the FDA. The minimally invasive technique—in which mechanical arms are controlled by a surgeon through a computer console—is now used in hundreds of thousands of procedures each year, including in general surgery and […]
Structuring Compensation for Physicians with Administrative Duties
As healthcare organizations focus on expanding physician leadership, they may find themselves needing to determine how to compensate practicing providers for time spent on administrative duties. Research suggests that annual, hourly, or per-meeting stipends are typical compensation structures for part-time administrative responsibilities. But the real challenge often lies in determining a payment rate that’s fair […]
Considerations for Physician Impairment Policies
By:
Elizabeth Elving
Date:
June 13, 2017
Category:
Physician Network
Filed under:
Physician Impairment Policies
Physicians are vulnerable to the same physical and cognitive ailments as everyone else. Research suggests that they are about as likely as the general population to struggle with substance abuse, and that the intense demands of their job can take a serious toll on their mental health. Nevertheless, medical professionals struggling with illness or substance […]
Medical Scribes: A Remedy for Physician Burnout?
As organizations look to help their physicians manage an intense workload and practice at the top of their licenses, a growing industry has emerged around medical scribes. Scribes—who accompany physicians and perform real-time clinical documentation—seem poised to alleviate physician burnout. But as healthcare leaders consider introducing scribes, it’s important to understand both the business case […]
The Value of Physician Involvement in Setting Policies for Safely Deferring Elective Care
Uncompensated care can place a financial burden on healthcare organizations, which is particularly concerning as operating margins shrink. Some hospitals and health systems have addressed this issue by deferring non-emergent cases if patients do not or cannot make arrangements to cover some portion of the cost of service upfront. Some in the industry oppose this […]
Involving Physicians in Improving the Patient Experience
Patient satisfaction and experience is increasingly becoming a chief concern for healthcare organizations. Medicare reimbursements are tied to HCAHPS scores, and many organizations are now basing some portion of physician and nurse compensation on related metrics. Satisfaction can also impact revenue as patients begin to act more like consumers, “shopping around” for healthcare options the […]