Addressing staff shortages: Impact on workflow efficiency and patient care

Introduction

In recent years, healthcare has grappled with staffing issues that strain patient satisfaction and overall care. Whether the problem is limited staffing numbers, high staff turnover, or the overall ability of the staff employed, all of these problems have far-reaching consequences in the realm of patient care and overall workflow within physician’s offices.

Challenge

The Effect on Staff

Healthcare providers now feel the effects of staffing issues daily. Even though COVID-19 case numbers are lower than at the height of the pandemic, medical practices find it nearly impossible to staff their offices fully.

According to a Medical Group Management Association report,^* medical assistants have left the profession to seek work in non-healthcare professions that offer equal pay. Nurses are retiring early or moving to high-paying travel nurse contracts or temporary agencies. Many practices need more staff members. The workers who stay are frustrated because they are picking up the extra workload, and the practices forced to pay higher wages for temporary nurses often have to close one day a week to save on costs.

The workflow within physician's offices is intricately linked to the availability and efficiency of healthcare workers. With fewer hands on deck, administrative tasks, paperwork, and follow-up procedures can be delayed, resulting in a backlog of essential responsibilities that can affect the timely delivery of care and strain the morale of healthcare workers who are stretched thin.

The Effect on Patients

Unfortunately, the most immediate and significant impact of the healthcare worker shortage is the quality and accessibility of patient care. As the demand for healthcare services continues to rise, the shortage of nurses and support staff intensifies the burden on the existing healthcare workforce. This strain can result in longer appointment wait times, delayed diagnoses, and compromised attention to patient needs.

The healthcare worker shortage poses a multifaceted challenge that affects staff morale, patient care, and the overall workflow of physician’s offices. However, health providers have begun to find solutions by utilizing reliable, low-maintenance medical products and devices to perform routine testing like spirometry. Even when staffing is scarce, having an easy-to-use device can contribute to a smoother operating office and better quality of patient care.

EasyOne spirometers and PFT devices to help mitigate staffing challenges

ndd Medical Technologies offers innovative, easy-to-use pulmonary function testing instruments that help clinicians diagnose and treat lung disease with great precision. EasyOne devicesutilize patented TrueFlow ultrasound technology that delivers accurate and reliable results without needing calibration.

Time-saving with with calibration-free technology

Device calibration can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. The EasyOne line of spirometry and PFT products is calibration-free thanks to the inclusion of TrueFlow technology built into each EasyOne lung function testing device. This revolutionary technology has proven accurate for the product's flow and volume measurements' lifetime. ndd's unique ultrasonic flow measurement is highly accurate in a wide-range of flow ranges, independent of gas composition, pressure, temperature or humidity.

Quick and easy

ndd EasyOne devices are intuitive and easy to use making it more quickly integrated in a clinic’s workflow, preventing additional burden on staff. ndd products are designed with the patient and user in mind. Count on user-friendly prompts throughout the maneuver and visual guides for the patient to follow while performing the test, leading to more positive experiences for the staff and patients.

Instant results, accessible physician overread, and EMR integration

ndd devices have built-in incentives to help patients perform a high-quality test within a short timeframe. Once the test is complete, there is no wait time for spirometry results. The quality control and result report gives an instant test interpretation for a quick physician overread and diagnosis.

When you use ndd’s EasyOne device with the EasyOne Connect software, results can be quickly and accurately integrated into several leading EMR vendors, including EPIC, Athena, Allscripts, eClinical Works, Cerner, and more. Integration means staff spends less time with data entry and more time with patients.

Minimal maintenance and cleaning

ndd products are made to keep the time spent cleaning the devices to an absolute minimum. Devices are small with easy-to-wipe surfaces and there is no time spent cleaning individual components since all device parts in contact with patients’ breath are single-use and disposable.

We understand that having an efficient workflow leads to better overall patient care. Our devices are designed to increase productivity without overlooking the individual attention that each patient deserves.