4 Ways Telehealth Can Improve Your Work-Life Balance
As we wrote in a blog earlier this year, burnout is a big problem among physicians and it becomes more widespread every year. Almost one-third of physicians say they are feeling symptoms of burnout and that more control over their schedule and a better work-life balance would increase their job satisfaction.
Implementing Telehealth in your practice could be the solution to preventing burnout. 1 in 5 physicians are already using Telehealth in their practice, and it’s expected to grow to 50% of physicians by 2022. In a survey of over 2000 practicing physicians, 69% said they would be interested in trying video consultations with patients. When asked why, 79% said they were trying to create a more flexible work-life schedule.
Working remotely can also help you reframe how you think about your practice, increase efficiency, and be more innovative with patient care.
Make Your Own Schedule
One of the biggest benefits of working in Telehealth is the flexibility you can create in your schedule. Your appointments can be held anytime, anywhere instead of during set office hours at the office or hospital. You can build your own schedule that fits within your lifestyle.
Doctor on Demand surveyed the practicing physicians they employ, and 78% said using Telehealth in their practice improved their work-life balance. You choose your own schedule so you can plan your day around picking your kids up from school, running errands, getting things done around your house, and taking time for yourself.
Cut Down on Commute Stress
Say goodbye to driving expenses, the stress of car troubles, and sitting in rush hour traffic every day. Seeing patients remotely cuts out all that wasted time and unnecessary stress for both you and your patients. You can even schedule appointments during the time you would usually spend driving to and from work, so it’s a win-win!
See Your Patients From Anywhere
When you’re working more remotely, not only is your schedule more flexible, so is your location! Since you can see your patients from anywhere, (as long as you have a good internet connection) your travel options are wide open. When you make your own schedule you can actually make time for that vacation you’ve been putting off. You can even keep seeing patients while you’re traveling without interfering with your plans.
Generate More Income in Less Time
The convenience of telemedicine removes the steps you and your patients normally have to take to come in for an appointment—which drastically improves your patient flow, so you can see more patients in less time.
For example, in the time that you would normally take to see 15 patients in the office, you could potentially see up to 25 patients remotely. Which means you’re making more money without having to leave your home.
“Sounds Great for Me, But What Do My Patients Think About Telehealth?”
Your patients are likely managing many aspects of their lives digitally, and are looking to bring that convenience to their healthcare. Many of your patients are probably already using technology to manage their health by using food or exercise tracking apps.
60% of millennials are interested in using Telehealth to eliminate in-person visits, and that number will increase in the future as more patients get accustomed to Telehealth.
Many physicians agree that Telehealth improves the patient experience, in a survey of 800 physicians practicing Telehealth, 93% said it improves patients' access to care and 77% said it contributes to more efficient use of time for doctors and patients.
How To Get Started
You might be interested in moving to a Telehealth practice, but that can be overwhelming after being in practice for years. But it doesn’t need to be a sudden, drastic change. You can try gradually incorporating Telehealth into your practice until it becomes a great complement to what you already do.
One of the biggest benefits of telehealth is flexibility, so you can experiment and see how it works in practice and decide how it can work for you. Whether Telehealth becomes a supplement to your regular office hours or replaces them entirely, it’s a revolutionary way to take control of your schedule and find balance in your practice.
If you’re thinking about moving into Telehealth it’s crucial that you keep your skills sharp so you can recall all relevant IM or Peds information during your video appointments. Our Peds or IM Core is the perfect resource to keep your medical knowledge up to date and top of mind.
