On Burnout and Becker’s “Health executives are patients, too: What 11 leaders experienced”

I was intrigued to see the Becker’s Hospital Review headline, “Health executives are patients, too: What 11 leaders experienced.” It’s a valuable perspective, to see hospital leaders' experiences as patients in the facilities they run. 

Unsurprisingly, the common thread in each response is the desire to be seen and treated as a complex human, with unique needs, that require attention to understand. Of course that is true; providers know that is the case.  And yet, due to the challenges impacting our healthcare system, it is increasingly difficult for providers to consistently meet that need for patients. 

Healthcare providers’ ability to deliver care that acknowledges the complexities of each patients’ case is strained, as clinicians are overbooked and resources are lacking. Working in such conditions, with the added urgency and emotional charge of being in a clinical setting, challenges providers, and impacts the patient experience greatly. Jean Barrett Blake, BSN, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Services at Saini Chicago was quoted, saying, “We are at risk of losing great caregivers. Burnout is real.” Our current systems are, all too often, underserving clinical staff and patients alike. 

So what can we do? 

Small steps matter, and improving the patient experience requires that we simultaneously improve clinicians’ working conditions. Ensuring systems are in place to keep providers’ attention on delivering quality care - rather than performing other time consuming tasks - is paramount to improving patient experience, without creating clinician burning out. 

Products and services like Eyedog.US Digital Wayfinding can free up providers’ attention, so that they can focus on what matters most: providing a high quality clinical experience to patients by eliminating friction that can interfere with the ability to provide effective and efficient care.