Clinical Inertia in The Healthcare Industry: What Is It?

The healthcare industry is constantly evolving as we discover new technologies and treatment options. Despite this continued progress, clinical inertia continues to plague the healthcare industry. Let’s take a closer look at what clinical inertia is, why it negatively impacts the healthcare industry, and what can be done to remedy it.?

Clinical Inertia and How it Slows New Healthcare Industry Trends?

Clinical inertia is the failure of healthcare providers to act on new opportunities for disease prevention and management. While this doesn’t occur as a purposeful refusal to act in the patient’s best interest, it occurs as a lack of knowledge. In most cases, physicians and other healthcare providers don’t realize that certain treatment options have become outdated.?

There are often newer and potentially better treatment opportunities available in the quickly evolving healthcare industry. For instance, there are new medications for chronic conditions that have fewer side effects. Or, there’s a new procedure or piece of equipment that has proven better and provides faster results. However, if healthcare staff are not aware of these new resources, or don’t have the time to research them, they go unused. This is clinical inertia.?

Clinical inertia slows healthcare industry trends as physicians deliver suboptimal care. This happens when they do not update or adapt their practice to new technology.?

Healthcare Industry News: The Causes and Effects of Clinical Inertia?

According to healthcare industry news, there are a variety of causes of clinical inertia. Let’s take a look at some of the most common ones.?

1. Healthcare industry trends are changing rapidly
2. Healthcare industry news is rampant with new technologies and medications. Therefore, it’s challenging for many physicians to keep up with discoveries
3. Physicians are apprehensive to incorporate new technologies or medications due to a lack of understanding about their success rates.?
4. There is a lack of support or encouragement from administrative healthcare staff on new methods of treatment. This makes it difficult for physicians to feel comfortable or safe implementing changes.?

The effects of clinical inertia span across patient care and outcomes as well as healthcare costs. For example, one article cited that a staggering 80% of heart attacks and strokes may be related to clinical inertia. Clinical inertia affects the treatment of diabetes, hypertension, and lipid disorders, leading to heart attack or stroke.?

Additionally, the costs of clinical inertia in diabetes care were said to lead to several hundred thousand serious adverse health events. This resulted in billions of dollars in excess healthcare charges to treat these adverse events.?

Overcoming This Healthcare Industry Obstacle?

The healthcare industry has been plagued by this complex issue for years. However, some steps can be taken to overcome clinical inertia. With a few industry-wide changes, we can foster a more supportive and collaborative environment.?

Here are some key ways clinical inertia can be overcome.?

Begin Fighting Clinical Inertia in Medical School?

For decades, medical students spent their first two years of medical school with their noses in textbooks. However, several medical schools such as Harvard and Johns Hopkins are working to combat clinical inertia. In fact, they have started shifting the curriculum for their medical students. Year one remains book-heavy. Meanwhile, year two implements scientific research and encourages inquiry and forward-thinking.?

This encourages a pillar of medical research and innovative thought. It’s a great start for future generations of physicians. But, it still leaves a lot left for improvement in the current working physician pool.?

Shift How Physicians Stay Up to Date on Industry News?

While introducing a habit of independent research and thought is a great start, it does not lessen the workload of a busy physician. Therefore, there must be a shift in how easy and time-efficient it is for physicians to stay up to date on healthcare industry news.?

Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) have resources and technologies that are shifting how healthcare professionals stay informed about the latest research, technologies, and treatments. Physicians can receive targeted information and discoveries specific to their specialty and even to a specific sub-section of patients they have treated. These apps and advancements can save loads of time for physicians. They no longer have to sift through an entire journal to find the one piece of information.

Promote a Team-Based Approach?

There must be a team-based approach to overcome clinical inertia. Healthcare professionals need to work together to stay informed and open to new technologies and resources. And this includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and administrators alike. Directors and administrators need to foster an environment that promotes, encourages, and allows time for continued research.?

By implementing new strategies, healthcare professionals across the country and the globe can work together to overcome clinical inertia. This will inevitably result in the best patient care possible, utilizing all of the advancements and technologies available to us today.?

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