Physicians are overwhelmed with clinical work
U.S. physicians might be missing out on innovative medical research due to the overwhelming amount of reading and clinical work they are faced with, according to a recent survey.
The survey, conducted by Doximity, comes at a time when the healthcare industry is facing a workforce shortage and high rates of burnout. The survey queried more than 600 physicians across five specialties––cardiology, oncology, neurology, endocrinology and gastroenterology. These specialities deal with some of the most complex health cases.
A whopping 95% of physicians say they are interested in learning about new trials, treatments or procedures that could help improve outcomes in their patients, but 68% reported they often feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they have to keep up with.
“These findings suggest that even though physicians may feel a strong desire or commitment to help improve patient outcomes, the reality of consistent life-long learning is overwhelming an already stretched physician workforce,” the report stated.
These findings are in line with what industry groups and physicians have been saying for the past several years––administrative burdens are just too high. Unfortunately, high administrative burdens can also play a role in worsening burnout, which is currently having a devastating impact on the healthcare workforce at large.
Physicians typically don’t have a lot of time in their day to keep up with the latest healthcare industry news and innovations, though 98% said they engaged with medical news or educational information during the average workday, and over 60% said they view content between patient visits. However, the majority of physicians surveyed said they spend 30 minutes or less reviewing medical news or educational information during the average workday, and 41% spend 15 minutes or less.
Unfortunately, more than 65% said they do not have adequate time in their clinical schedules to learn about new research, clinical trials, products, treatments or procedures. Physicians also said they are giving up their free time or are working longer hours to further their medical knowledge.
One of the biggest issues for physicians is just how quickly medical information is evolving. For example, medical knowledge has been doubling at an estimated rate of every 3.5 years since 2010, and this trend is expected to continue, the report noted. Therefore, physicians just simply can’t keep up, and half of physicians surveyed reported feeling frustrated when they receive medical news or educational information that is irrelevant or not specific to their individual practice. Of note, the majority of physicians want information on clinical trials, treatments and procedures that more accurately reflect the diversity of their patients.
Overall, the findings suggest physicians can benefit from industry information specific to their specialty and patient population that is optimized for mobile devices and is brief. Physicians are extremely eager to learn about new innovations, treatments and procedures, with a strong preference for the information to be delivered by peers and colleagues, experts and industry thought leaders, and online platforms/tools for doctors. Short videos were highly rated among physicians compared to long videos, underscoring the need for brevity in research information.
“These report findings suggest a continued need for more effective content and physician engagement strategies that recognize just how busy physicians are,” the Doximity report concluded. “By prioritizing brevity and specificity, we can help physicians eliminate the noise, and most importantly, spend more time caring for their patients.”
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."