Saving Time Playbook: Three strategies

Unnecessary work can feel so simple yet so daunting at the same time. Many physicians, especially those already experiencing burnout, feel resigned to whatever unnecessary work they are given. However, with visible leadership commitment, concrete examples to work from, and mechanisms in place to evaluate and implement effective changes, unnecessary work does not have to be “just how it is.”

This section will help you save time by:

• Identifying opportunities to de-implement unnecessary processes and protocols at the practice or organizational level
• Soliciting ideas from practicing physicians for eliminating unnecessary tasks and duplicative work

Of course, even with optimal reduction of unnecessary work, at the end of the day, there is still much necessary work to be done. The key here is involving the entire care team to share the workload—this is essential for maintaining efficient patient care workflows and freeing up time for physicians to give their undivided attention to patients.

This section will help you save time by utilizing core team-based care workflows, including:

• Pre-visit planning and pre-visit laboratory testing
• Advanced rooming and discharge
• Team documentation
• Annual prescription renewals and medication management
• EHR inbox and patient portal management

For long-lasting and wide-reaching positive change, timesaving efforts need to come from the top down: from the level of practice or organizational leaders who can effect large-scale change. To accomplish this, getting leadership and other stakeholder buy-in is crucial.

This section will help you save time by:

• Identifying key messages to convey to organizational leaders to help them understand the value of these time-saving efforts, which can:
  • Reduce physician and care team turnover through reduced burnout
  • Improve patient satisfaction and quality and continuity of care through improved patient volume and access
  • Easier recruiting and higher retention rates of physicians and other care team members with improved team morale and organizational culture through higher team engagement
• Providing simple calculators to make your case

Getting rid of unnecessary work and improving practice efficiency are cornerstones for preventing physician burnout and creating a culture of wellness at the organizational level. This work requires commitment by senior leadership as well as concrete strategies to create change, which are outlined in this playbook (PDF). By guiding practices and organizations on how to identify and reduce unnecessary tasks, avoid overinterpretation of regulations, and implement more efficient workflows, this playbook helps physicians get back to their true calling—taking care of patients.