Accurate clinical documentation is essential not only for ensuring quality patient care but also for facilitating timely reimbursements. However, physicians find themselves increasingly tethered to their computers, engaging in tasks beyond their intended roles. Clinical notes in the United States are four times lengthier than those in other nations, potentially leading to excessive after-hours work known as “note bloat.” Research indicates that this surge in documentation, often overshadowing direct patient interactions, may stem from regulatory overload. As documentation requirements expand, they inadvertently contribute to exhaustive workflows and, in turn, physician burnout. Looking ahead, documentation demands hints at technological integration, regulatory reform, and innovative approaches to strike a balance between comprehensive records and patient engagement.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, what can physicians expect in terms of documentation demands in the near future?
Overwhelming EHR Documentation Burden That Physicians Face
The substantial amount of time physicians devote to typing in the EHR is widely cited. A study involving 57 physicians across four specialties – family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, and orthopedics – revealed that they spent double the time on EHR and desk work for every hour of face-to-face patient care. Another research piece in the Annals of Internal Medicine highlighted that physicians expended approximately 16 minutes and 14 seconds on EHRs during each patient visit. This prompts questions as to whether EHR data entry has become a core physician responsibility and whether they are destined to grapple with perpetual data entry tasks. Amid these questions, it becomes crucial to understand what the future of documentation looks like for today’s physicians. This exploration delves into the anticipated impact of the 2023 overhaul of E/M office visit coding and documentation, aiming to alleviate the administrative burden on physicians. Furthermore, the rise of telemedicine has contributed to the burgeoning documentation demands, necessitating a closer examination of how this trend has reshaped the role of physicians.
The Promise of Hope: 2023 CPT Code Set Overhaul
The dawn of the 2023 CPT code set overhaul brings a beacon of hope, promising transformative changes. The heartening news is that the American Medical Association (AMA) has unveiled the 2023 CPT code sets for medical procedures and services, designed to alleviate the administrative burdens weighing on physicians. Within these code sets, certain modifications have been introduced to codes and guidelines, primarily targeting evaluation and management services. This strategic effort is aimed at a substantial reduction in the time physicians spend on administrative tasks – tasks that often divert their attention and focus from clinically important activities. With these new revisions, the intricate processes of coding and documentation, particularly in the realm of E/M services, have been streamlined, rendering them considerably easier and simple. Ultimately, physicians will feel liberated from the arduous, time-consuming bureaucratic tasks that fall beyond the scope of their training and intended roles. Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., M.D., the President of the AMA, says that he wants to ensure that physicians attain the much-needed administrative respite through the implementation of these E/M coding updates. In essence, this coding overhaul acts as a catalyst for a vital shift, enabling physicians to channel their energies back to patient-centered care.
Telemedicine Surge and Increased Documentation Demands
The surge in telemedicine during the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased the importance of thorough clinical documentation, necessitating a closer examination at its potential implications. Physicians providing telehealth services now need to document not only the details of the visit but also specific information about how the telemedicine encounter was conducted. This includes documenting whether it was conducted via real-time interactive audio and video or audio alone, patient and physician locations, start and end times of the appointment, consent for telemedicine, and compliance with state laws. While telehealth services offer numerous benefits, this level of documentation could potentially add to physicians’ workload.
The Promise of Scribes to Alleviate Documentation Burden
Medical scribes offer a promising solution to lessen physicians’ documentation burden. By utilizing virtual medical scribes, physicians can have real-time documentation directly entered into their EHRs, reducing the need for extensive note-taking during and after patient encounters. Scribe service providers also offer a hybrid scribing model, which combines the power of AI with highly trained virtual scribes, provides accurate and efficient documentation support, freeing up physicians to focus on patient care.
In conclusion, the future of documentation demands for physicians may see improvements with the 2023 CPT code set overhaul, which aims to streamline coding and documentation processes. However, the rise of telemedicine may also introduce additional documentation requirements. Are you feeling overwhelmed with the amount of documentation tasks? Do not stress it out. To ease your workload and prioritize patient care, get in touch with a reliable scribe service provider. They’ll help you handle the growing documentation needs.