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August 25, 2011

ifroehlich

Is the Stress of Meaningful Use Creating Turnover in Physician Offices?

Is the stress of understanding and meeting Meaningful Use requirements creating greater turnovers for physicians? HealthSystemCIO, an online-only publication targeted to healthcare CIOs, believes so. In a study released this month, they claim, “65% say their staffs are under ‘excessive strain” due to MU-related work.’” In addition, 50% say they had key employees leave during the past six months.

 

It’s more than just stress and departure that’s an issue for doctors though. The same study points out that over half of respondents (54%) haven’t been able to fill those open positions for at least three months. Not only are professionals leaving during a less than booming economy, doctors can’t find immediate replacements. Furthermore, half of those surveyed said they, “personally were experiencing an unsustainable level of strain from overwork, pressure and lack of adequate time off.”

 

So, is there a solution to eliminate Meaningful Use stress?

 

The answer is, yes! Consider purchasing user-friendly software that satisfies Meaningful Use requirements. For example, Rcopia-MU from DrFirst is a fully certified modular EHR that satisfies all requirements necessary to help providers qualify for Meaningful Use. What sets this modular apart from others in the industry is AttestEasy – an add-on service to Rcopia-MU. It’s like a concierge service for providers interested in a smooth attestation process and avoiding delay of Meaningful Use incentive payments. It allows offices to successfully attest by consistently monitoring of activities so there are no surprises at the end of the 90 day period. The service also walks the office through the steps of attestation one-on-one. This way staff can learn the features of the software, and the requirements of the CMS, without all the headaches or trial and error of going it alone.

 

Could you be a physician that’s experiencing the same office havoc with a staff that is confused about requirements? If so, or if you want to avoid this situation entirely, it might be worth the time to examine the technology your staff is using. Making a small change like this could be all it takes to lower turnover rates, AND keep your staff happier and less stressed.


About ifroehlich

Ms. Froehlich has been with DrFirst since its inception in 2000. In her role as Director of Marketing, she oversees the planning, directing, and coordinating all marketing and public relations efforts at DrFirst. Ms. Froehlich has a B.S. in Communications from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.