A recent study by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) sheds light on the significant amount of time that doctors in British Columbia are spending on administrative tasks, impacting patient care.
The CFIB reveals that doctors in the province collectively dedicate three million hours annually to dealing with “digital red tape,” which in turn diminishes the time available for direct patient interactions.
On average, each doctor spends nearly 10 hours per week and 200 hours per year on administrative duties, as per the report.
Kalith Nanayakkara, the CFIB’s senior policy analyst for B.C., emphasizes that eliminating this bureaucratic burden could effectively release the equivalent of over 1,400 full-time doctors across the province.
This issue is resulting in longer wait times to see doctors and a scarcity of family physicians in B.C., leading to an overload on existing practitioners who are struggling with burnout from excessive paperwork.
The BC College of Family Physicians (BCCFP) points out that the root of the problem stems from delays associated with the disjointed digital systems that doctors are compelled to use. These disconnected systems lead to inefficiencies during routine patient appointments, hampering the continuity of care.
Dr. Jennifer Lush, president of BCCFP, highlights the challenges doctors face when dealing with non-integrated systems, necessitating redundant tasks like re-entering information and chasing test results, ultimately impacting both efficiency and patient care.
To address these issues, the BCCFP suggests streamlining administrative tasks with integrated digital solutions, emphasizing the need for the provincial government to prioritize the integration of electronic medical records (EMR) systems to reduce delays and enhance appointment availability.
By reducing digital red tape, the BCCFP believes that there will be a significant improvement in appointment scheduling and timely patient access to family doctors, ultimately leading to more coordinated and efficient healthcare delivery across British Columbia.
Keyphrase: Doctor Administrative Burden