Medical assistant – Clinician Well-Being Knowledge Hub

Association of Medical Scribes in Primary Care With Physician Workflow and Patient Experience

NAM — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 20:08:43 +0000

This study published in JAMA Internal Medicine investigates whether the use of medical scribes decreases electronic health record documentation burden and improves productivity. Widespread use of EHRs in medical care has resulted in increased physician workload and less patient-doctor interaction. While there has been an increased use of medical scribes for EHR assistance, few studies have examined their use rigorously. This study randomly assigned primary care physicians to start a three month period with and without scribes and alternated their exposure status every three months for a year. A survey was conducted after each study period to measure perceptions of documentation burden and visit interactions. Results showed that scribed periods were associated with less self-reported after hours EHR documentation and a higher likelihood of more patient interaction.

Clinician Well-Being at Virginia Mason Kirkland Medical Center: A Case Study

NAM — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 13:41:32 +0000

The following case study highlights organizational initiatives from the Virginia Mason Kirkland Medical Center that have demonstrated success in supporting well-being and preventing burnout among practicing clinicians.

The case study is intended to inform and inspire organizations facing similar challenges and seeking similar outcomes. Although there is no one-size-fits-all solution for clinician well-being, techniques and resources described in the case studies may provide a useful starting point for other groups.

Teamlets in primary care: Enhancing the patient and clinician experience

NAM — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 19:58:47 +0000

Many primary care practices have created a team structure in which a clinician and medical assistant “teamlet” form the core of a larger team. The teamlet structure, which turns large practices into small units, is attractive to patients, most of whom prefer small rather than large practices. Clinicians working in stable teamlets, with the same medical assistant every day, have less burnout than clinicians working with different medical assistants on different days. The teamlet model can thus create positive experiences for clinicians and patients alike.