*By Allan ContiBy Allan Conti
The mental health of doctors has worried professionals in the sector and has been discussed frequently in recent years. A study carried out by the Federal University of São Carlos (USFCAR), which followed healthcare workers between 2021 and 2022, revealed that 86% of those interviewed suffered from burnout, while 81% had high levels of stress.
Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that, in 2022, approximately one in four healthcare professionals presented symptoms of anxiety, depression and burnout, resulting from the daily and increasing challenges of the profession, such as high workload, pressure emotional, lack of resources, among others.
In this context, it is essential for health institutions to adopt strategies and tools capable of alleviating overload and optimizing flow in work environments. Given this, technology emerges as an effective alternative to improve the experiences and work systems of these professionals, especially clinical decision support solutions, which guarantee positive impacts on improving the quality of patient care.
The use of clinical decision support solutions in practice
According to a survey carried out by the Union of Hospitals, Clinics and Laboratories of the state of São Paulo (SINDHOSP), with 228 health professionals, 54% of the participants pointed out that technological development is the trend that will provide the greatest impact on the sector between 5 and 10 years.
Among the main agents of this development are clinical decision support (CDS), that by assisting doctors in decision-making, providing evidence-based information at the point of care, they promote greater efficiency, precision and quality in the care provided to the patient.
Based on this, these tools have high potential when it comes to burnout among healthcare professionals. This is because, in addition to improving the quality of care, clinical decision support solutions offer other benefits related to reducing workload, increasing confidence with more assertive decisions, personalizing care and consequently reducing the stress generated by the high volume of care. complex decisions.
However, as the connection between the use of technology and reducing burnout among healthcare professionals becomes more evident, institutions' technology leaders need to adapt to this new scenario.
The role of technology teams in implementing solutions
In the healthcare segment, Information Technology (IT) Directors play an essential role in developing strategies to face the challenges of digital transformation. These leaders have a responsibility to avoid staff overload by modernizing and streamlining clinical workflows.
However, the IT team's strategy cannot be planned vertically, especially when it comes to the approach related to burnout. It is essential that this strategy connects to clinical operations, involving multidisciplinary teams at all stages, from the acquisition of equipment and solutions, to the development of ways to improve the patient's journey.
This alignment requires the active participation of clinical leadership and incorporation of physician perspectives to create a strategy that not only reduces but also prevents burnout.
Therefore, for an effective implementation of clinical decision support tools, the direct involvement of doctors is essential, as they have knowledge of the doctor-patient dynamics, contributing at all stages, including the implementation of technology in the work routine.
Given this, combating burnout among healthcare professionals requires a joint effort, involving different areas and establishing strategic consolidation and IT governance aligned with the needs of the clinical staff.
Finally, it is crucial to adopt solutions that, in synergy with the demands of the digital world, improve doctors' experience, minimize excessive workload and encourage a more balanced and healthy routine.
*Allan Conti is Commercial Director at Wolters Kluwer Health in Brazil.
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