AMA STEPS Forward®

Pearl of the Week: Who takes the first pass on EHR messages?

Empower team pools to manage messages

| 1 Min Read
STEPS Forward Pearl of the Week

When managing the high volume of messages coming to the electronic health record inbox, organize different types of messages into buckets and have team pools manage the buckets.

In this efficient team-based system, a non-physician team member makes the first touch on most messages, responding to the messages or routing those that need immediate physician attention. Nurses, medical assistants or advanced practice clinicians can address clinical messages, and patient liaisons or billing staff can address nonclinical questions.

Learn more

Stay up to date on practice innovations

Physician burnout demands urgent action

The AMA is leading the national effort to solve the growing physician burnout crisis. We're working to eliminate the dysfunction in health care by removing the obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care.

FEATURED STORIES

Speech balloons

Physicians must tell their own story—for patients’ sake

| 3 Min Read
Profiles positioned as data points across a map of the U.S.

What tops the state advocacy agenda for doctors in 2026

| 7 Min Read
Supportive group holding hands

Time for decisive action on substance-use disorder treatment

| 5 Min Read
Sitting health care worker in a busy hallway

1 in 3 NPs and PAs switch specialties at least once in career

| 6 Min Read