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Healthcare jobs are consistently listed as some of the most stressful jobs across all industries in the United States. Unfortunately, oftentimes the sheer number of communication channels and platforms can be overwhelming for healthcare employees and contribute to stress. Staff may juggle emails, pagers, secure messaging apps, phone calls, and hospital communication systems, all requiring them to switch contexts and log in to different platforms.
A study in 2022 found that a third of healthcare workers felt overwhelmed by technology, highlighting the negative impact it can have. According to the study, “Clinician burnout can negatively affect the quality of care and can result in a range of negative consequences, including dysfunctional relationships with colleagues, self-medication or substance abuse, depression, and even suicide.”
Information Overload
The platforms used in healthcare generate a constant stream of information, making it difficult to prioritize critical messages and identify the most relevant details needed for patient care. Constant alerts and notifications can disrupt workflows and distract healthcare professionals from focusing on patients.
[Related: Why Do Healthcare Communication Breakdowns Persist Despite Useful Technology?]
Sometimes there are system integration issues when different communication systems don’t integrate seamlessly, leading to duplication of effort and incomplete information sharing. New communication technologies often require additional training and adaptation which adds to the workload for already busy staff.
However, communication technology does have the potential to improve healthcare delivery. Technology can facilitate faster and more efficient communication between staff, reducing reliance on outdated methods like pagers in favor of secure messaging platforms that enable real-time team discussions and collaboration about patient care plans.
Communication technologies with robust integration engines connect with electronic health records (EHR) software and provide a centralized view of a patient’s medical history, potentially improving care coordination and reducing errors.
[Related Case Study: State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University – Integrating with Epic’s Electronic Medical Records]
Finding the Balance
The challenge lies in finding a balance between the benefits of technology and the potential downsides that lead to staff feeling overwhelmed. Some strategies include:
- Prioritizing Functionality. Implementing technologies that integrate well with existing systems and streamline workflows.
- Standardization. Encouraging the use of a limited number of well-chosen communication platforms.
- Vendor Support. Reaching out to your tech vendors to assess your systems and work together to identify and resolve technical issues can be incredibly helpful.
- Targeted Training. Providing targeted training, based on people’s preferred learning methods, on new technologies to ensure staff understand how to use them effectively.
- User Feedback. Actively soliciting feedback from staff on their communication needs and challenges to identify areas for improvement.
[Related: Overcoming Communication Issues in Healthcare Results in Better Patient Care]
By focusing on user-friendly technology, streamlined workflows, and ongoing support, healthcare organizations can leverage communication technology to improve patient care without overwhelming their staff.
