I still remember opening my clinic schedule soon after graduation and realizing that I would be responsible to care for nearly twice as many patients per clinic session than I had been responsible for as a resident. How was I going to do it all? I would have to learn to work smarter, not harder, to make it through.
Here are five key pearls to improve your workflow both in the clinic and the operating room:
Audit Your Clinic
Start by auditing your clinic to identify bottlenecks. Some electronic health records (EHR) can track this for you, or having an assistant shadow you and keep a time log may be helpful. Examine each step of your clinic flow, from check-in to check-out. Are there specific processes that slow you down?
For example, you might notice that reading through referral paperwork or waiting for optical coherence tomography (OCT) or visual field results consumes significant time. Once identified, these areas can be targeted for improvement. Implementing a prescreening and summary process with your technician team, streamlining appointment scheduling, and ensuring testing occurs in the proper order can make a substantial difference.
Empower Your Team
Many YOs fall into the trap of trying to do too much for each patient. If you are spending your time checking vision, completing patient intake, calling in referrals, and repairing equipment, you won’t have much time for patient counseling or decision-making. Try making a list each day of the tasks that you are doing that can be delegated. Next, identify who can carry out the non-physician tasks. Then empower the other members of your team to step up and lighten your load.
Consider Using a Scribe
Documentation is essential but time-consuming. Using a scribe can cut down on your time in the EHR and allow you to focus more on patient care. Artificial intelligence-powered dictation tools can also transcribe your spoken notes with high accuracy and even integrate directly into your EHR system. Whether you choose an in-person scribe or an AI tool, the key is to minimize the time spent on documentation and maximize patient interaction.
Become an EHR Wizard
You will spend much of your time within the EHR, and gaining some mastery of it can save you hours each week. Schedule a session with your IT department to learn basic tools for your specialty and to set up your interface for the best functionality. Creating smart-phrases or templates for clinic and surgery reports can save time and can be helpful when used appropriately.
Think Creatively About Your Surgical Approach
Efficiency in the operating room is crucial. Start by identifying downtime during surgeries. Are you waiting for instruments to be sterilized or medications to be prepared? A quick review of instruments needed with the surgical staff can greatly streamline the surgery. When something works well, document it (take a photo of the Mayo stand or phaco settings) so it is easier to replicate. Ask the team for ideas on how to streamline turnover and cut down on idle time.
Your own surgical skills will continue to improve with repetition, but recording your surgeries and watching them back can be very insightful. Identify areas where you spend the most time and think critically about how to optimize these steps. Watching recordings of efficient surgeons, whether from your own training or available educational resources, can provide new techniques and approaches to incorporate into your practice.
As you work smarter, not harder, you will find your stride as a YO!
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About the author: Brad S. Henriksen, MD, is a pediatric ophthalmologist at Excel Eye Center in Provo, Utah. He joined the YO Info Editorial Board in 2022 and is also a member of the Academy’s Committee on Medical Information Technology. |