Careers |

Introduction

The healthcare industry has faced unprecedented challenges since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the realm of staffing. A new survey from Merritt Hawkins and AMN Healthcare paints a concerning picture of physician availability in five critical medical specialties—cardiology, dermatology, family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, and orthopedic surgery. Surprisingly, the average wait time for new-patient appointments has risen to 26 days across these specialties, an increase of 8% since 2017. Meanwhile, family medicine has seen a 30% decrease, a notable exception in this alarming trend. But what lies behind these numbers, and how do they reflect the broader staffing issues plaguing the healthcare industry?

The Problem

Among the five surveyed specialties, the data is clear:

• Cardiology: 26.6 days, +26% change since 2017
• Dermatology: 34.5 days, +7%
• Family medicine: 20.6 days, -30%
• Obstetrics/gynecology: 31.4 days, +19%
• Orthopedic surgery: 16.9 days, +48%

These numbers speak to a system under strain. The increase in wait times can be tied to an overwhelmed staff handling tasks that were previously managed by larger teams. The familiar receptionist we knew before the pandemic might never have returned, replaced by a new person juggling the work of three. High turnover and training costs add to the problem, reflecting a system in urgent need of solutions.

Researchers have speculated that the decrease in family medicine wait times could be attributed to growing numbers of patients accessing primary care via telemedicine, urgent care centers, and retail clinics. These alternatives have created capacity for traditional office-based appointments, a trend that millennials seem to favor. This shift towards modern alternatives represents a path forward but does not address the root of the staffing challenges.

The Solution – PenPal Cognition Management Platform

In the midst of these difficulties, Open Knowledge of New York (OKNY) has been working diligently to provide a groundbreaking cognition management platform. Developed through continuous customer discovery conducted in part with the National Science Foundation I-Corps, our platform is designed to improve efficiency, lower costs, and make support roles more appealing to prospective job candidates.

We invite healthcare professionals to reach out for a free consultation. We’re eager to hear your feedback and demonstrate how our prototype can help enhance patient care and staff workflow. By streamlining the operational aspects of healthcare, we can tackle the challenges of increased wait times and staffing shortages head-on.

Empowering Support Staff – The Key to Career Viability

In an industry marred by high turnover and dissatisfaction among support staff, our cognition management platform seeks to revitalize these critical roles. By offering tools to enhance capability and productivity, we make careers in healthcare support more viable and satisfying.

For example, the platform’s features could empower a receptionist to efficiently manage tasks that were previously handled by a team of three, without feeling overwhelmed. This empowerment leads not only to a more satisfied workforce but also to an environment where skills are transferable, creating career paths that can extend beyond the immediate role.

Our approach aligns with the increasing trend toward patient-centered care, enhancing synergy between support staff, practitioners, and administrators. This alignment fosters a healthier work environment and improves the overall quality and cost of care.

Turning the Tide – A Call to Action

Healthcare professionals, the time has come to address the systemic issues that have emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether it’s the extended wait times in cardiology, dermatology, and other specialties, or the lack of support staff leading to a stressed and transient workforce, the problems are clear.

We believe that our cognition management platform offers a tangible solution, not only as a tool for efficiency and cost reduction but as a means to create rewarding and sustainable careers within healthcare support.

We invite you to reach out to us today for a free consultation and demo of our platform. Together, we can enhance patient care, create more satisfying careers for support staff, and build a healthcare system that meets the needs of our time.

Conclusion

Appointment wait times and staffing issues are challenges that the healthcare industry cannot afford to ignore. With our platform, we’re not only addressing the immediate needs but looking towards the future of healthcare operations management.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many hardships, but it has also offered an opportunity for innovation and improvement. By focusing on empowering support staff and promoting efficiency, we can make these roles viable and appealing once again.

We’re here to listen, to adapt, and to collaborate with healthcare professionals who share our vision. Let’s move forward together, creating a healthcare system that benefits both patients and practitioners alike.