We know that clinicians and healthcare professionals alike are facing challenges – burnout chief among them. But as we look to solutions to curb burnout, we have an opportunity to think bigger and to make sure that the patient is truly at the center as clinical care teams evolve.
1. Primary Care Is Stretched Thin
Last year, I broke my hand while unpacking holiday boxes and it was going to take 4 months for me to receive a doctor’s appointment. No pun intended, but I experienced first-hand just how overburdened the healthcare system is right now. And I recognize that my experience is not unique.
We’ve watched as burnout among primary care providers (PCPs) has worsened for a long time – but the pandemic highlighted the broader challenges facing the healthcare system – with concerns around patient access to care rising to the top.
Recent Surescripts data confirms why many of us have experienced long delays in getting an appointment with a PCP: there’s fewer than 1 primary care provider for every 1,500 patients in half of the 3,233 counties in the U.S. – with e shortages found in both rural and metropolitan areas.
And it’s likely to get worse with an expected shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2023 and 2 in 3 U.S. health systems operating at less than full capacity due to staffing shortages last year.
About Surescripts
Surescripts serves the nation through simpler, trusted health intelligence sharing, to increase patient safety, lower costs and ensure quality care and seamlessly integrates with MicroMD EMR providing numerous features like e-Prescribing, Real-Time Prescription Benefits, Electronic Prior Authorization, and more.
