What are the most important trends and pressing issues facing residents as they begin their medical careers? Residents in a recent survey reported reduced face time with patients, coordinated care and adoption of health IT among the top concerns.
More than 80 percent of residents who responded to the survey by the American Resident Project said that care coordination can help them better manage chronic disease by allowing more time and touch points with their patients. Respondents also cited reduced face time with patients as the third most pressing issue facing physicians. More than half of residents reported that engaging patients in their own care was more challenging than anticipated.
The survey also reveals that residents count the adoption and use of health IT as one of the most important trends that will impact their personal practice of medicine. Meanwhile, more than one-third of respondents view policies that promote team-based models as critical for improving care coordination within the system.
As part of its initiative to ensure professional satisfaction and practice sustainability, the AMA is working to provide the information, tools and environment physicians need to succeed in providing the best possible care at an affordable cost. That includes clearing roadblocks to quality interaction with patients, such as the cumbersome nature of electronic health record technology, a common contributor to professional dissatisfaction, according to an AMA study conducted by the RAND Corporation.
The AMA is working to identify effective models of care delivery that achieve high-quality patient care, greater professional satisfaction and long-term sustainability within the evolving health care system.
