Source: Winter 2018 Editor’s Message by Ed Bope, MD, FAAFP
First and foremost, congratulations to Gary LeRoy, MD, for becoming the 2018 president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians! What a wonderful platform for Ohio family physicians to be heard and by someone who represents us so well.
This edition offers insights into the hassles of administrative burdens and the attempts made by many to redirect our focus from billing to physician well-being.
Physician burnout is a serious concern and in today’s practice, it can involve the whole office not just the physician. Mentioned in, “Stopping Burnout at the Source: Delegating the Administrative Burden,” by Peter Anderson, MD, burden starts at the front desk and is carried throughout the daily routine. Electronic health records, which are noted in the President’s Message and Executive Vice President’s Message, has added to the burden and has failed many in terms of being a time saver and expense cutter.
As Dr. LeRoy mentions in his article, “Leveraging Technology in Health Care,” health care has to evolve to become a bigger aid in our practices. I believe technology does improve quality by preventing errors and since it seems like it’s here to stay, making it work for us is important.
Keeping up-to-date in practice is a challenge that requires self-discipline and oversight by an independent body, the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). In the article, “ABFM Announces New Leadership, Programs, and Solutions to Help Alleviate Administrative Burdens,” written by Kate Mahler, CAE, deputy executive vice president of the OAFP, it’s great to see how the ABFM continues to strive to make their task of certifying that we are competent in knowledge base to practice family medicine more palatable.
As winter soon approaches, just remember to take care of yourself, your family, and your office staff to make sure that renewal is routine. Try to problem solve to reduce hassle. A physician once told me he stopped having to put out fires when he realized he was starting them. Process improvement can work for even small hassles and now can qualify for board credit. The result in decreased stress would be even more important. I am urging you to pick something today that you and your office staff think you can improve and start on it January 1.