Why Informatics Leaders Are Key to Reducing IT-Caused Clinician Burnout

Finding ways to alleviate clinician burnout continues to be a priority for many health systems nationwide, and much of the attention is specifically turning to informatics leaders who are tasked with ensuring that technology doesn’t get in the way of providing patient care.

One survey last year from healthcare communications company Spok of 470 clinical staff found that 90 percent respondents agreed that increased or ineffective technology contributes to the risk of clinician burnout. Then, of course, there’s also the widely-cited Annals of Internal Medicine study from 2016, which found that for every hour of direct clinical face time with patients, there’s nearly two additional hours spent on electronic health record (EHR) and administrative work.