A persistent problem for health system CEOs is emerging as the most important challenge to solve this year: work/life balance.
Work/life balance isn't just a "nice to have" as a "thank you" to clinicians who spent thousands of extra hours during the pandemic in a stressful workplace; it's a business imperative. And many organizations haven't invested in it enough.
"Coupled with inflationary costs of care, workforce recruitment, and participation are trends that I’m not sure healthcare has a solid handle on nationally," said Michael C. Backus, president and CEO of Oswego (N.Y.) Health. "Caregivers are leveraging their work/life balance more than ever and given the heightened complexity of patients, especially in behavioral health, it’s a challenge to see how we build anything but more redundancy behind the staff that we have."
Identifying, recruiting and onboarding clinicians takes time and significant financial resources. But it's a necessary step in planning for the future.
"It’s an incredibly competitive environment right now and that is why I’m proud of the work Oswego Health has done building pipelines to bring more students into clinical rotations," said Mr. Backus. A program Oswego Health began years ago to engage 8th graders in the clinical workforce is starting to pay off, as the first class is graduating and some are choosing to join Oswego health.
Leong Koh, MD, president and CEO of Northwest Permanente in Portland, Ore., is also zeroing in on balancing patient access to care with the physician workforce shortage compounding post-pandemic burnout.
"To address the dual challenges, we're working to ensure that our patients do as much at home as possible through the digital front door," said Dr. Koh. "We have many video visits, telehealth visits and we leverage technology so patients may receive answers to their questions in the comfort of their own homes."
Northwest Permanente is also using AI to triage incoming messages and direct patients to the right care team member so physicians can focus on spending more time with patients.
Wayne Gillis, CEO of Great Falls (Mont.) Hospital said one of his biggest challenges is the increased demand for provider work-life balance; physicians are becoming more resistant to on-call time and extended hours. Hospitals faced with looming provider shortages and increasing demand for healthcare services are struggling.
Great Falls has had trouble maintaining 24 hour coverage with fewer providers taking on-call duties, and the more need for specialists led to higher operating costs that "current hospital budgets and reimbursement rates cannot support," he said.
To overcome the provider shortage, Mr. Gillis and his executive team are implementing flexible schedules, telemedicine options and job sharing to attract and retain more providers. He is also cross-training staff and leveraging AI to optimize workflows and lower the administrative burden on the leaner clinical teams.
Mr. Gillis is also tackling external forces head-on by working with policymakers to adjust reimbursement models and better support his workforce. Finally, his team is working to develop programs for provider well-being and mental health.
"[We are] identifying and implementing sustainable care models that balance provider work-life needs with patient care requirements," he told Becker's.