In recent years, there have been a number of studies and research that point to the stress, burnout, and time constraints under which physicians function. From too little time spent with patients to hours upon hours of clinical documentation, it has been nearly impossible to find a middle ground.
Here are six time management tips for physicians to implement in the new year.
1. Adjust your patient schedule.
If you schedule patients in 15-minute blocks, for example, but find you consistently run over that allotment, consider adjusting the increments upward. Just a 5-minute increase may be all that's needed to avoid the dreaded feeling of constantly running behind. And patients will appreciate the decreased wait times too. Granted, adjusting the schedule may not be a possible solution for some, particularly for employed physicians. However, physicians in independent practice may have more autonomy over their schedules and can more readily implement the change and reap the benefits.
2. Hire the right team.
Your team — both clinical and administrative — can make all the difference. Hiring individuals who not only have the background and expertise to operate in a busy healthcare environment, but also individuals who can function independently and work to the upper limit of their abilities and job title is key. You need teammates to whom work can be delegated, so employees who require frequent supervision and direction may not be the best fit and will detract from your time more than anything. Streamlining the hiring process can be a great time-saver as well. Again, depending on the type of employment, some physicians may have more influence than others when it comes to hiring decisions.
3. Draw a line in the sand.
When you are constantly busy, it's easy to lose yourself and lose sight of your personal limits. Without that internal compass, you may struggle with taking on too many additional tasks, such as meeting with pharmaceutical reps and joining another board. To fend this off, take a few moments at the beginning of the day to review your schedule. If you're already overbooked, have the front desk turn away sales reps and vendors and forward all non-critical calls to voicemail. Regularly reassess whether other commitments — many of which may eat into your already limited after work hours — are supplementing or detracting from your happiness and productivity.
4. Recognize your best time of day.
Most people fall into one of two categories — early risers or night owls. Whether you rise early or stay up late, recognize what time of the day you're at your best and most alert. Set aside this time to complete your most complex or demanding tasks since this is likely when your energy and mood levels may be at their highest.
5. Use the one-minute rule.
Gretchen Rubin, the author of the wildly-popular book The Happiness Project, recommends following a one-minute rule to simplify your life, knock out that never-ending list of tasks, and manage your time more effectively. The rule is simple: Anything that you can complete (or delegate) within the span of one minute or less, you must do right away. Whether that's signing off on a chart, responding to an email, or asking the nurse to call a patient, complete the task and free up the mental energy for the rest of your day. There's all sorts of variations on this too — 30-second, two-minute, etc. — so choose what works for you and run with it.
6. Maximize technology usage.
For better or worse, technology is likely here to stay. The good news is that by embracing these changes, you can find the technology that works best for you. EMR optimization is one way to take back your time. Typically, either the EMR vendor or a third-party consultant can create customized templates and create other shortcuts that can streamline the electronic navigation required for each encounter. This can prove immensely helpful considering that, by some reports, physicians may have up to 4000 EMR "clicks" per shift.
In addition, implementing or upgrading your existing voice recognition software can minimize the time spent on clinical documentation while simultaneously maximizing face-to-face time with patients. A win-win that's hard to come by in healthcare these days! Opt for a cloud-based platform for additional benefits too.
P.S. We've heard that some EMR vendors are upgrading their software in 2017 and requiring clients to also upgrade existing voice recognition software — to the tune of thousands of {unplanned and unbudgeted} dollars. Stay tuned for our next article where we explain more about this evolving situation and the workaround that SayIt voice recognition software can provide.
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What are your best time management tips? Please join the conversation below.