Burnout among healthcare workers, particularly physicians, is a well-known phenomenon. However, physician assistant burnout is a serious matter, too — about one-third of PAs struggle with it.
You perform most of the same duties as your supervising physician. You’re busy updating your EHR/EMR, coordinating with insurance companies, providing patient care, and much more. You may even handle administrative tasks and supervise other healthcare workers.
You’ve got a lot on your plate. That includes the bevy of devices and software that fuel your workflow. Tech can be a blessing and a curse — let’s make it a blessing.
Reduce your risk of burnout with a few changes to your everyday physician assistant tools.
[Related: Why Is Healthcare Hesitant About AI? 11 Reasons To Consider an AI Call Agent]
1. Optimize Your EHR/EMR
You constantly deal with patient records, so make the most of your EHR/EMR to reduce your risk of burnout. This is a considerable source of stress for many health workers, with primary care physicians bearing the brunt.
Take strides to make your EHR/EMR more user-friendly, taking into account your organization’s preferences and permission:
- Customize templates and order sets.
- Use smart phrases and macros for the text you enter often.
- Minimize alerts and notifications as feasible.
- Try dictation software to take notes on the go.
- Customize the user interface to show only the functions you use most.
- Integrate an AI call agent into your EHR/EMR.
With decluttering and automation, your EHR or EMR doesn’t just enhance healthcare management. It’s less of a strain on your mental health.
Note. A smarter EHR/EMR (or at least a less frustrating one) helps your entire organizational culture. Higher-quality patient care and mental health among staff create a ripple effect that resonates throughout the healthcare system.
[Related: Virtual Medical Scribe: What You Need To Know]
2. Lean on Telehealth
Embrace telehealth whenever you can. It can improve your work-life balance and help you reach and engage more patients. More flexible scheduling and fewer commutes are worth their weight in gold.
Telehealth also smooths the wrinkles in routine tasks, like standard follow-ups and medication refills. This naturally relieves pressure, so you feel less overwhelmed and more on track. Integrate AI into your telehealth systems for even better patient care and simplified workflows.
And in the modern healthcare system, patients expect telehealth access. More satisfied patients lead to fewer complaints — a considerable source of emotional exhaustion. Patient satisfaction tends to lead to higher job satisfaction for physician assistants, lessening burnout factors.
Note. Encourage your supervising physician or health system to try telehealth tools if they don’t use them. The change benefits them, too.
[Related: Anticipating Patient Needs With an AI Call Agent]
3. Maximize Patient Portals
Use your patient portal for all it’s worth! Tasks are more manageable with more cohesive back-and-forth communication among administrators, patients, supervising physicians, and you. Here are a few ways patient portals can reduce your risk of physician assistant burnout:
- Limit phone calls and texts. Patients can schedule appointments and request refills with little to no PA intervention.
- Streamline communication. When patients need to reach you in nonemergency situations, portals allow you to respond at your convenience with fewer interruptions.
- Coordinate care. Portals synchronize messaging among a patient’s specialists and providers. You remain informed and don’t have to worry about medical errors — the portal logs interactions.
Adopt an AI agent to supercharge your patient portal. It allows patients to speak with an intelligent chatbot for routine questions and answers, freeing valuable time.
[Related: AI-Powered Unified Inboxes as Patient-Centered Communication Tools]
4. Try Self-Care Tech
Seize technology for your own well-being! Wearable smart devices are your mini medical assistants. A healthier you means your patients receive high-quality care from a PA who is not under severe stress.
These types of smart devices monitor your mental and physical health at home and in your work environment:
- Smartwatches
- Fitness trackers
- Sleep trackers
- Continuous glucose monitors
- Smart rings
You can also match smart devices’ data with specific situations or events. Identify your stress triggers, and you’re on your way to managing potential physician assistant burnout.
Tip. Given your role, set boundaries between you and your tech as much as possible. For example, set notifications only for emergencies when you’re off the clock to separate the healthcare setting from home.
[Related: Automated Communication With a Unified Inbox for Around-the-Clock Availability]
5. Hire an AI Call Agent
An AI call agent is one of the best physician assistant tools you can adopt to lighten your workload. It uses cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning to automate tedious tasks, increasing efficiency.
AI agents integrate seamlessly into your existing systems, including your EHR/EMR. They work around the clock, so you don’t have to:
- Answers and routes calls, nixing the need for a call center
- Understands and responds to spoken language
- Let patients schedule and reschedule appointments
- Collects data, including patient, insurance, and payment information
With a 24/7 digital assistant, you have fewer entries on your to-do list. And that means far less administrative juggling, lower stress — and greater patient safety. You can focus on your patients and yourself with your mundane matters in highly capable virtual hands.
[Related: Considering Using AI in Your Healthcare Practice? Here’s Where To Start]
Lessen Your Stress With Wendi’s AI Call Agent
You may feel overlooked as a physician assistant when it comes to health worker burnout. We see you!
Tech can help and not hurt your risk. Use the right tools where you need them most to boost your mental health, physical health, and work-life balance.
At Wendi, our AI Call Agent is easy to use and works with your current healthcare software. It handles calls, texts, and chats fluidly using human-like language. And it costs less annually than one staff member’s monthly salary (mention that to your healthcare organization).
Contact us for more information on how healthcare professionals modernize their workflows with Wendi. Reach out to our team — we’re glad to answer your questions!
