The U.S. faces a shortfall of up to 86,000 primary-care physicians over the next decade, while the number of Americans 65 and older is projected to grow to 20% of the overall population.
Healthcare organizations, already stretched thin, are well aware that things are going to get worse.
To minimize any negative impacts of a supply-demand imbalance, many are taking a “throw things at the wall and see what sticks” approach. Investments in everything from mobile mindfulness apps to clinical decision support (CDS) software have surged. The hope is that a combination of advanced technologies and edgy apps will help eliminate burnout, a key cause of physician shortages.
The interest in high-tech fixes is understandable. Reducing just one primary-care provider departure saves the average healthcare organization $1M in lost panel revenue and recruitment costs.
But the right solution to burnout isn't more tools and apps. It’s fewer.
Healthcare providers already spend too many hours documenting, reviewing, and coding. EHRs, which were intended to make their lives easier, have only added administrative burdens. stemming from constant CDS notifications impacts care quality, sometimes dangerously.
