How Telemedicine can leverage the shrinking number of Physicians

Clinicians and other experts at telehealth technology and services companies across the country are raising their hands, saying they could be at least one part of the solution to physician burnout. She contends that telehealth could partially be healthcare’s answer to helping alleviate burnout and staffing struggles, but cautions that resources and support are needed so the industry doesn't just create a new burnout cycle for clinicians. We interviewed McDermott to talk about these issues, how to support clinicians in a telehealth environment and what real engagement looks like for clinicians. Telehealth could help decrease that financial impact by reducing physician burnout as we’re experiencing it now through investment in solutions that reinvent how healthcare is delivered. These solutions have the potential to help with the work-life balance struggles physicians experience.

The worst part is that so much of that administrative work keeps physicians away from seeing patients and the ability to operate at the top of their license. Seeing patients via telemedicine allows physicians to see more patients, increasing access to necessary services and allowing more opportunities to complete documentation in real time. The telehealth boom during the pandemic has resulted in new technology providers and resources that help patients get care when and where they need it. After I’ve assisted them with a task, I make sure to use the time to check in with them, ask what’s going on in their life and look for ways to recognize how I can help make their work more fulfilling and enjoyable. To engage with physicians, you need to consider what they interact with during their work and how you can show them that you appreciate them. While not a single health system has determined how to define or measure it, physician engagement has been widely looked at in a cause-and-effect way: Physicians who feel more engaged will mean improvements in work and patient outcomes. For example, with telepsychiatry, physicians want to document in real time while seeing a patient.