Navigating Healthcare Challenges: Insights from MGMA on Staffing, Patient Care, and Work-Life Balance

In October, Jodi Miller, Senior Vice President of Sales, and John Willaims, Sales Executive, from notifyMD® attended the Medical Group Management Association conference in Nashville. Some of the topics that dominated conversations at MGMA surrounded staffing, the quality of practices’ current answering service, and work-life balance for providers. To watch the full interview, click here. 

Hiring and Staff Retention Challenges

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in demand, with more patients needing access to both specialty and primary care physicians. This increased demand is putting immense pressure on practices and specialists.

Staffing shortages in the healthcare industry profoundly impact patient care. Not only do they increase the workload for existing staff, possibly leading to burnout, but they also result in longer wait times for patients. There’s a direct correlation between staffing levels and patient outcomes – as the former decreases, the latter tends to worsen.

With fewer healthcare professionals available, the quality of care can diminish, and patient safety can be compromised. Routine check-ups and preventative measures may be overlooked, potentially leading to an escalation in patient health issues. Hence, understanding and addressing staffing shortages is paramount in ensuring high-quality patient care.

Strategies for Alleviating Staffing Shortages

To mitigate these staffing issues, healthcare institutions should consider leveraging advanced solutions like notifyMD®. This technology can take on a significant portion of the workload traditionally assigned to front office staff, thereby freeing them up for more critical tasks. notifyMD®® serves as an effective extension of your healthcare team, offering round-the-clock patient communication services. This not only improves staff efficiency but also ensures patients have reliable access to healthcare services.

Settling for Mediocre Answering Services in Medical Practices

One of the recurring conversations during the conferences Williams noticed is how practices are managing their expectations about answering services. Many are settling for “just OK” services, not because they’re the best fit for their needs, but because they’ve grown accustomed to the status quo.

A robust medical answering service, such as notifyMD®, is an essential asset in delivering exceptional patient experience and care. It plays a pivotal role in enhancing communication between healthcare providers and their patients, which is the cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery.

Enhancing Service Availability through notifyMD®® App and Portal

To enhance the provider experience and facilitate efficient communication, notifyMD® offers a secure app that allows HITRUST compliant messaging for faster patient communication and staff follow-up. The app is exclusively available to providers, ensuring messages are received in a secure and timely manner. Additionally, the portal serves as a desktop version for support and clinical staff to address patient needs.

A key advantage of using notifyMD® is its stringent adherence to HIPAA regulations, ensuring the confidentiality and security of sensitive patient data. This commitment is further solidified by their HITRUST certification, widely recognized as the gold standard for data protection in the healthcare industry. With the increasing threat of data breaches, notifyMD®’s robust security measures provide healthcare facilities with peace of mind, knowing that patient information is safe and privacy regulations are strictly upheld. This commitment to data security not only fosters trust with providers and health system executives, but also minimizes the risk of costly non-compliance penalties. Therefore, by opting for notifyMD®, healthcare institutions are choosing a partner that prioritizes data security and privacy as much as they do.

Balancing Work-Life for Healthcare Professionals with notifyMD®

Miller and Williams also heard how vital it is for physicians to strike a work-life balance. Outside of the clinic, they need time for themselves, which is where the role of a partner like notifyMD® becomes invaluable. Through managing calls and efficiently triaging urgent and non-urgent cases, notifyMD® helps healthcare providers maintain their on-call schedules, supporting the drive towards a more balanced lifestyle.

Striking a healthy work-life balance is not just beneficial but essential for healthcare providers. This balance contributes considerably to their overall well-being and job satisfaction. Long working hours, coupled with significant emotional and physical demands, can often lead to burnout, impacting the quality of care provided. By establishing a good work-life balance, healthcare professionals can avoid fatigue and maintain their passion for the job.

For more information about notifyMD®, call 844-8-notify or request a free trial here.