The EHR is a driver of burnout. That’s why IT must be at the table.

Taking steps to reduce physician burnout, The Southeast Permanente Medical Group found working with IT made all the difference. Learn more.

By: Sara Berg, MS , News Editor

The SOUTHEAST PERMANENTE MEDICAL GROUP, INC, THE (TSPMG) in Atlanta has seen a notable improvement in well-being since the start of burnout measurement in 2021, with the burnout rate dropping from 48% in 2022 to an encouraging 43% in 2023—significantly lower than the nationwide burnout rate of 53% reported by the AMA Organizational Biopsy??The achievement underscores TSPMG's commitment to addressing and alleviating the challenges associated with burnout within its clinicians and staff.

A systematic approach employed by TSPMG? not only resulted in tangible positive outcomes but has also garnered bronze-level recognition from the AMA Joy in Medicine? Health System Recognition Program .

The program is designed to guide organizations interested or already engaged in improving physician satisfaction and reducing burnout. In 2023, 72 health systems were honored for their dedication to physician well-being .

But TSPMG—a member of the AMA Health System?Program that provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine—is not new to work on addressing physician burnout.

While the medical group had a well-being committee in place for years, a recent change put IT up front in discussions about burnout.

Filling in the gap with IT

Bringing IT to the table really began with TSPMG’s previous work to improve operational inefficiencies with its “Pebbles in the Shoe” campaign . This effort set out to identify and reduce inefficiencies and documentation burdens by offering a three-week challenge period for clinicians and staff to submit ideas - “pebbles” - for improving efficiencies. From there, teams work behind-the-scenes to address these issues throughout the year.

In the first year of the program, 163 pebbles were submitted, “which we loved from an engagement perspective, but hated from an inefficiency perspective,” said Kerri-Lyn Kelly, senior business consultant of people and culture.

That first year, one “pebble” focused on changing the email and meeting culture. After creating a work culture workgroup, the team implemented Work Wise, which provided education, resources and unified norms around improved email, meeting culture, and efficiency.

Another pebble suggested offering a waiting list for patients to fill appointment slots created when members cancel an appointment within 24 hours. To solve this, the team launched Fast Pass, an automated waitlist that fills open spots with patients who want earlier appointments. It has improved both patient and staff satisfaction.

“Having a campaign like Pebbles in your Shoe helps you to recognize problems and identify potential solutions quickly,” Kelly said.

“Many of the pebbles we received were related to IT—things like our EHR,” said Reneathia P. Baker, MD, a TSPMG pediatrician and associate medical director for People and Culture. “That’s when we had an ‘Aha!’ moment that we needed someone on our wellness committee who understood the complexities and could help solve those problems.

“We really needed someone to provide insight and intel into the background of how those things work,” Dr. Baker added. “We were very fortunate to add a member to the committee who has experience in that field. She is helping us understand it and work through the various steps.”

Additionally, “we have a committee member who works on what we call our Accelerated Care Transformation team who has access to IT resources, databases and metrics,” said Kelly. “They were able to help us with our AMA application and access resources we need to drive projects forward.”

How AI could help

?? Curious how AI can help? Read the full article here . ??

Reducing burnout is essential to high-quality patient care and a sustainable health system. The AMA measures and responds to physician burnout, helping drive solutions and interventions with the AMA Recovery Plan For America's Physicians.