Question

You are a member of a committee that will select a Physician Practice Management System. What can you expect to observe when you evaluate the scheduling capabilities of the Physician Practice system? <p>

What specific qualities of information are most useful when we are concerned with reducing information overload for healthcareprofessionals. <p>

Answer 1

Physicians aren’t robots. They’re not just there to insensitively deliver prognoses or mechanically perform complex surgeries. They need heart. Patients respond better to a physician who is empathetic to their needs, so focus on exercising courtesy and compassion with your patients.

Strong Work Ethic   

Having a strong work ethic means you dedicate 100% of yourself to your work every day, regardless of how tired you are or what is going on in your personal life. While this quality will help you succeed in any field, it is especially essential to the practice of medicine. Every day brings a new challenge. Even if you don’t know what those challenges will be, you’ll have to be ready to face them. Preparation is time consuming, but you must put in the effort if you want to succeed.

Professionalism

Simply slipping on a white coat won’t command respect from your patients; it must be earned. As with all encounters, first impressions are paramount. If you are inattentive, impatient, or unkempt, your patient will feel unsatisfied and neglected and will most likely seek the care of another physician.

Knowledge

Physicians need to have encyclopedic medical knowledge that can be recalled at a moment’s notice. They also have to stay on top of the latest medical news and trends, which could contradict something that was learned way back in medical school. In other words, as advancements are made in the field, you’ll have to learn new information that enhances or counters what you’ve already committed to memory.

Confidence

Because a successful physician is highly knowledgeable, he or she must reinforce that with confidence. Patients want to trust their physicians as caregivers, but the lack of self-assurance communicates uncertainty. A physician with strong, healthy confidence will be listened to and respected by patients and colleagues alike. Even if you feel unsure about something, don’t let your patient see it. Instead, consult other resources, specialists, case studies, etc. in order to provide your patient with the most informed treatment.

Humility

Humility and confidence work as a complementary pair. With your patients and colleagues, you must be approachable and available. This means that despite time limitations and over-scheduling, your patient never feels rushed. Hear everything he or she has to say without preemptively voicing your diagnosis. You must also be willing to admit when you’re unsure about something and especially willing to ask questions.  

Passion

Promising medical school applicants don’t want to become physicians because of the salary. They apply because they have a passion for the study and practice of medicine. Their passion makes them disciplined and willing to sacrifice other opportunities to better their career.

1. Implement a standardized process

One of the most critical things a healthcare organization can do to minimize regulatory overload is to implement a standardized process. Organizations with uniform regulatory compliance plans will find they are significantly less overwhelmed than they were without one.

Without such a plan in place, providers will typically wait until the year before a compliance survey in their facilities to address any compliance issues. This leads to higher costs, scheduling conflicts and a myriad of overtime expenditures. In a nutshell, waiting until the last minute to adopt fundamental regulatory compliance regulations can be a nightmare for healthcare facilities.

2. Stay ahead of trends

Typically, healthcare providers only feel overloaded with regulatory compliance after a new requirement comes forth. To combat this feeling, organizations should stay ahead of trends and constantly look for “the next big thing.”

3. Forge partnerships throughout

Another pain point for many organizations is the line between clinical and physical environment compliance. In a situation where strong partnerships are not forged, organizations could find themselves in the unfortunate situation that fingers are pointed at one another.

Alternatively, when teams unite to develop meaningful relationships, the burden of regulatory compliance will not seem as vast. Developing a strong relationship between groups will help to alleviate any regulatory stressors.

For many healthcare organizations, compliance regulations don’t have to be a major burden or headache. By implementing useful and time-saving strategies into a standardized regulatory process, organizations will be able to handle any new regulation introduced.