Staying focused is one of the best ways to be successful, and this applies to almost every aspect of life. No matter what industry people work in, it’s important to have their eyes on the prize so that they can reach their goals. When people lack focus it can lead to errors and poor decision making, which can create an array of problems in their respective areas. This sentiment is especially true for the healthcare system. The more distractions there are in the workplace, the harder it will be for physicians to do their jobs, and to do their jobs well. In order for the industry to be successful, it needs to invest time and money into minimizing those distractions. Making sure physicians aren’t spending countless hours on paperwork or overworking themselves physically, will help them stay focused and productive on taking care of their patients.
There is a direct relation between distractions and patients’ health. Studies show that more than 370,000 people die each year because they were misdiagnosed, with more than 420,000 people living with disabilities for this same reason. Misdiagnosis can be accidents in some cases, but a lot of times it happens when a doctor does not pay enough attention to their patient. Clinicians need to spend time addressing all possibilities when it comes to their patients’ health. When they are focused and busy doing other tasks they might miss imperative signs that can lead to a proper diagnosis. Doctors need to be 100% focused on their patients because lives are on the line.
“Patient health is first and foremost, but sometimes it’s put on the backburner. There are so many times when doctors miss symptoms that could help them accurately diagnose patients, because they were buried in papers. This is not what the healthcare industry is, and when clinicians spend hours each day doing paperwork, patients’ health is at risk,” says DoorSpace CEO Sarah M. Worthy.
Patients need to come first, not paperwork, and this responsibility falls on healthcare leaders. Just because doctors are clocked in to work does not mean they have to do more than what their job requires. There is no reason doctors should be spending countless hours doing paperwork and other managerial tasks, when that responsibility should fall on someone else. In order for patients to receive the highest level of care possible, they need their doctor’s full and undivided attention.
Technology is there as a resource to help alleviate these overwhelming tasks. Healthcare leaders can invest in this technology which helps automate paperwork and record keeping so clinicians don’t have to worry about getting it done. Investing in technology means investing in your employees’ well-being. If they are stressed about getting this extra work done, then they are not living up to their full potential for their patients.
“The solution is really simple. Healthcare executives need to invest in technology that takes a load off clinicians’ to-do lists. This not only makes record-keeping more efficient but more accurate, and gives frontline workers the time to do what they do best. When patient health is at risk, there needs to be immediate action taken, to provide them with the care they need to heal. Doctors doing admin tasks all day is not getting us anywhere,” Worthy says.
In order to prevent misdiagnosis, the healthcare system needs to be proactive about making sure clinicians’ time is being used wisely. Taking care of patients and being an advocate for their health is the top priority, not paperwork. Technology is there as a resource to make life easier, so it should be used to its advantage. Not only will this make sure patients and their health is taken care of, but it will ensure that frontline workers are growing and reaching their full potential. This will help create a more cohesive work environment and will make sure that patients are receiving proper treatment. Productivity relies on minimizing distractions across the healthcare industry.