One of the largest issues facing the healthcare industry today is burnout. Approximately, one in three physicians is experiencing burnout at any given time1. There is no denying that burnout existed in healthcare far before COVID-19 emerged. However, we also cannot deny that it catapulted burnout amongst healthcare works to the brink. An overwhelming 55% of front-line health care workers reported burnout and 62% of all health care workers reported some mental health repercussions.2
Virtual care was launched into the spotlight during the COVID-19 outbreak. It continuously proves its value to both clinicians and patients alike. It appears everyone is finally ready to embrace integrating virtual care into the care continuum after seeing the benefits to patients, overworked staff, and the impact on clinical outcomes.
Employers are increasingly looking for innovative technologies to improve working environments, offering additional tools and resources for staff which will allow them to provide better care for patients, as well as remove some of the burden placed on staff.
We also need to recognize that clinicians and staff have been thrown new technologies for years and are overwhelmed by the large amounts of data now at their fingertips. It is imperative that clinicians are not sorting through the data themselves attempting to put the puzzle together. Instead, it’s important that healthcare organizations and the vendors they choose to partner with are just that- partners. They need to come together and understand how to build the systems, so their staff is able to easily digest the data being presented and identify emerging health concerns to improve patient outcomes, ensuring patients are receiving the highest quality care. Actionable insights are going to be the requirement moving forward.
While care teams around the world are still trying to find the balance between in-person care and virtual care, it is crucial that the shift to virtual be viewed as a lifeline for healthcare workers. Virtual care can and should improve workflows and take some of the taxing tasks off their backs.
It’s imperative that participants across healthcare work together to meet this moment. While healthcare is constantly being reimagined, over the last few years, healthcare providers and innovators were tasked with rethinking how care can be delivered. With the past focusing on episodic care and/or repeat services, the healthcare industry has now placed an emphasis on access and quality.
The future is looking brighter and the limits are endless for how virtual care can impact not only patient outcomes but care teams physical and mental well-being.
Interested in learning how VitalCare can become your virtual care partner? Contact us!
