The multifaceted problem of prescribing burden
The administrative burden associated with getting patients started on treatment is multifaceted, involving numerous steps that must be repeated for different drugs. The cumulative effect of these administrative tasks adds to the burden faced by healthcare professionals.
Challenges for prescribers and their staff include:
- Checking prescribing information: Prescribers need to check prescribing details and conflicts, including dosage and administration information, drug interactions, step-therapy requirements, medication contraindications, and black box warnings.
- Coverage investigation: Understanding coverage restrictions, formulary policies, and authorization requirements in the ever-changing health insurance coverage landscape demands meticulous attention to detail and in-depth knowledge.
- Prior authorization forms: Practice staff must handle complex requirements and potential delays or denials when submitting prior authorization requests. The process involves extensive paperwork, documentation, and follow-up, adding to the administrative burden.
- Providing financial assistance: Healthcare providers and their teams need to identify patient affordability programs, assess eligibility, and manage patient enrollment and renewal forms while initiating therapies.
Toll on healthcare professionals
The administrative burden of getting patients on therapy placed on healthcare professionals contributes to burnout and negatively impacts their job satisfaction and overall well-being. According to recent physician burnout statistics, the overall burnout rate stood at a staggering 53% meaning over one in two doctors report burnout. While there has been a slight decline in physician burnout rates since the peak in late 2021, the extent of the problem remains a startling reality that demands attention, particularly for those at the highest risk.
Job stress continues to plague physicians, with 56% reporting high levels of stress throughout 2022, even as the impact of the pandemic lessened. Furthermore, many physicians expressed an intent to leave their current organization within two years, with 40% indicating a moderate to definite likelihood of departure. These statistics paint a bleak picture of the toll that administrative burden takes on healthcare professionals, necessitating urgent action.
Conclusion
Addressing the administrative burden in healthcare is imperative to alleviate the strain on healthcare professionals and enhance patient care. Providing the right tools and resources to physicians and their staff is crucial in streamlining administrative processes related to starting patients on therapy and reducing the associated burden.
By alleviating this burden, we can foster job satisfaction, reduce burnout rates, and ultimately enhance the delivery of quality care to patients. It is high time we prioritize the well-being of our healthcare professionals by actively addressing the administrative burden they face.
About PrescriberPoint
At PrescriberPoint, our primary objective is to alleviate the administrative load of starting therapies for patients on healthcare providers like yourself, enabling you to focus on providing top-quality care to your patients. We achieve this goal by providing a centralized platform where prescribing and coverage information, prior authorization forms, patient assistance and education materials are readily accessible in one place, eliminating the need for time-consuming individual searches and providing healthcare providers with multiple options to submit forms.
