Typically, physicians will work more than the conventional 40-hour work week with many averaging 50 hours or more. Here are a few small things you can do to save time in the office and be more in charge of your own schedule.
1.Training sessions on commonly used technology (like electronic health records EHRs) may seem time-consuming at first. In the long run, this is time well spent to save you time in the future for navigating these tools. Stay on top of new rules and changes that could affect EHRs, too. Consider nominating someone in your office to help you and others learn the medical record system. To improve efficiency with EHR, set up the computer, or use a laptop in the exam room so that you can work the computer while working with the patient. While you might not think about this small thing, facing away from the patient and constantly having to turn around is time consuming and inefficient.
2.Encourage your patients to take advantage of patient portal systems. When put to good use, these portals save physicians time with scheduling, medical histories, and lab results, if patients know how to use them. The front desk staff can provide patients with information and instructions for using digital portals.
3.Ask your patients to complete, in advance, any electronic questionnaires or patient forms for common conditions, so there is less need to ask them questions during the visit.
4.Master the use of templates and phrases to shorten your typing time. Try Get Magical.com to save time by using shortcuts for commonly used notes and phrases. Also, try to avoid long paragraphs. Instead, use abbreviations to save time.
5.Another option for finding efficiency is to not do this documentation yourself at all, and instead, use a medical scribe. During visits with patients, scribes act as documentation assistants to collect information. They input patient data, orders, and referrals into the EHR, saving physicians even more time after-hours.
6.Make the best us of your team at the office. Utilizing your co-workers to share work and delegate different responsibilities is a smart way to be more time efficient. For example, assign medical assistants to review electronic lab results and ask them to notify you of important information.
7.Time limitations on patient visits are controversial, though highly important for getting through the day and meeting your professional responsibilities. By letting your patients know how much time you have to spend with them, you can prioritize the conversation with the most important information.
With these easy-to-follow tips, you can save time at the office and improve the overall efficiency of your practice. Having more free time, will improve your work-life balance which creates a happier life.
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