UpToDate consolidates solutions to create an integrated suite for healthcare providers & patients, enabling informed decisions & patient-centered care.
The healthcare industry is at a crossroads, facing a myriad of challenges that threaten the quality of care and the well-being of clinicians and patients. Recent statistics highlight the severity of these issues: a study by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that over 40% of physicians report experiencing burnout, while the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033. Coupled with the increasing complexity of care and the need for larger, more collaborative care teams, these challenges underscore the urgent need for innovative solutions. Let’s take a closer look at the challenges:
Challenges of clinician burnout
The AMA is not the only organization sounding the alarm – the CDC issued a warning that burnout among healthcare workers “has reached crisis levels.” And the same is relayed in the work that we do with clients day in and day out.
Increasing care complexity
Clinicians also face countless challenges every day, from navigating complex care situations to staying up-to-date with the latest medical advancements. In medicine, there are many grey areas where guidance is unclear and rarely answered directly in literature. Research shows that the average doctor has 15-20 unanswered questions daily. These life-changing moments can at minimum add to wasted time and unnecessary procedures, and at worse create the risk of negative consequences for patients.
Strained care team collaboration
Even the most experienced healthcare teams are struggling to keep up with patient complexity and the abundance of big data to align on a coordinated care path. This, coupled with the current and predicted healthcare staffing shortages, creates uncertainty and places additional strain on care teams.
Staffing shortage crisis
There is a shortage of doctors in the US, with contributing factors that include an aging population, an increasing number of patients with chronic conditions, and limited access to medical school. As of October 2023, more than 83 million people in the United States live in areas that lack sufficient access to a primary care physician according to AMA reports. This shortage presents a looming public health crisis, with more patients experiencing delays in accessing medical care.
Disengaged patients
Patients, and health consumers at-large, are also experiencing burnout and disengagement due to access issues and waning confidence in the healthcare system. A Gallup poll revealed that 38% of Americans reported skipping or delaying medical care in 2022, either for themselves or their family members. This is the highest percentage since 2001.
