Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice
Authors: Join Y. Luh
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2017)

Letters2 May 2017Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory PracticeJoin Y. Luh, MDJoin Y. Luh, MDFrom Providence St. Joseph Health, Eureka, California.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L17-0074 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Sinsky and colleagues' (1) simple yet novel study evaluating the allocation of physician time provides additional objective data underscoring the unreasonable clerical burdens placed on physicians. Tasks formerly handled by telephone or through medical office staff are now electronic ones that can be entered or handled only by physicians (that is, computer order entry), relegating physicians to data entry clerks. Additional regulatory burdens from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—such as the Meaningful Use program, which did not deliver on its goal to better coordinate electronic health records (EHRs) through interoperability—have exacerbated the clerical burden placed ...References1. Sinsky C, Colligan L, Li L, Prgomet M, Reynolds S, Goeders L, et al. Allocation of physician time in ambulatory practice: a time and motion study in 4 specialties. Ann Intern Med. 2016;165:753-60. [PMID: 27595430]. doi:10.7326/M16-0961 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Finding meaning in a flawed Meaningful Use program: pathways toward physician compliance. ReachMD. 29 July 2016. Accessed at https://reachmd.com/programs/everyday-family-medicine/finding-meaning-flawed-meaningful-use-program-pathways-toward-physician-compliance/7740/#sthash.8QdlBzeo.dpuf on 4 January 2017. Google Scholar3. Shanafelt TD, Dyrbye LN, Sinsky C, Hasan O, Satele D, Sloan J, et al. Relationship between clerical burden and characteristics of the electronic environment with physician burnout and professional satisfaction. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91:836-48. [PMID: 27313121] doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.05.007 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. American Medical Association. Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) incentive under the physician fee schedule, and criteria for physician-focused payment models; proposed rule (CMS-5517-P). Letter to Andrew Slavitt. 24 June 2016. Accessed at https://download.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/washington/macra-state-speciality-sign-on-letter.pdf on 4 January 2017. Google Scholar5. Shanafelt TD, Dyrbye LN, West CP, Sinsky CA. Potential impact of burnout on the US physician workforce [Letter]. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91:1667-8. [PMID: 27814840] doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.08.016 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Providence St. Joseph Health, Eureka, California.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L17-0074. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoAllocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice: A Time and Motion Study in 4 Specialties Christine Sinsky , Lacey Colligan , Ling Li , Mirela Prgomet , Sam Reynolds , Lindsey Goeders , Johanna Westbrook , Michael Tutty , and George Blike Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice Steven Bishop , Jeffrey Kushinka , and Shin-Ping Tu Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice David P. Serota Allocation of Physician Time in Ambulatory Practice Christine Sinsky , Michael Tutty , and Lacey Colligan Metrics 2 May 2017Volume 166, Issue 9Page: 682KeywordsChartsChildrenComputersDisclosureElectronic medical recordsHealth careHealth insuranceMedicareStorms ePublished: 2 May 2017 Issue Published: 2 May 2017 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2017 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...