How to Enjoy Peace of Mind While You’re on Vacation This Summer

We know that the last two years have been taxing for you and your staff. The ability for you, your nurses, and office staff to go on an extended vacation — or even a short period of time away from work — has been limited. Words like variant, masking, social distancing, and pandemic have followed you even when you are “off the clock.”

It has been more or less impossible for healthcare workers to escape the viral landscape where COVID-19 is the topic of nearly every conversation and news article. Technology has kept you connected even when you try to disconnect. It has become difficult to mindlessly scroll through social media without coming across a heated debate.

We know that being constantly inundated with questions about COVID-19, preventative measures, and treatment options is draining. One of the many unfortunate effects of the pandemic has been that it’s overworked clinicians — to the point of burning out an already exhausted population. But what does burnout mean for the future of your pediatric practice, and how can you combat it? Let’s explore!

What are the Clinical Impacts of Occupational Burnout?

The exhaustion that healthcare workers have been experiencing affects patient care. Experts have reported that burnout increases clinical error, malpractice litigation, and overall patient mortality.

While it’s important to recognize the toll that burnout has on the patients you serve, it’s equally crucial to be aware of burnout’s effect on you. Research has assessed the impact that occupational burnout has had on healthcare workers. In fact, studies have shown that 22 percent of clinicians from 21 different countries have reported depression and post-traumatic stress disorder since the pandemic began.

Astoundingly, data indicates that, over the same time frame, the physician suicide rate is two times that of the general public. We agree that it’s time to address the aftermath that the pandemic has had on all healthcare workers.

How Can You Combat Clinician Burnout?

There are many steps that can help mitigate the consequences of overworked clinicians during the pandemic. The damage has already been done; healthcare workers are weary. Still, the healthcare system needs to look at secondary and tertiary interventions to counter burnout as we move forward.

Experts are calling for a variety of interventions to take place. These strategies include:

• Adequate staffing
• Paid leave for both physical and mental health
• Removal of punitive measures for having a mental health crisis
• Fair wages
• Affordable housing
• Childcare and healthcare assistance
• Flexible work hours
• Online coaching for coping mechanisms when handling burnout
• Loan forgiveness

We would add time away in the form of vacations as an important aspect of maintaining mental health and tackling clinician burnout. These are moments that allow for a reduction in your workload and give you an opportunity to pay attention to your mental health.

How Can Anytime Pediatrics Help You Relax While You’re Away?

How do you rest easy when you know your patients are still calling your office needing medical care? How do you avoid returning to an inbox full of messages from parents who had to take their children to the emergency room while you were out of the office? How do you accommodate the need for hospital follow-up appointments for those patients? Anytime Pediatrics has a solution: Anytime After Hours.

Anytime After Hours partners with a team of highly qualified and experienced registered nurses who utilize Schmitt-Thompson Protocols with every call. All nurses have at least five years or more of pediatric emergency experience, and they are available to answer patient calls for your practice when you are closed, including nights, weekends, holidays, and vacations. You can rest easy knowing your patients are receiving excellent care with every call and avoiding unnecessary and costly emergency room visits.

If you are taking an extended vacation and still need to see certain patients, Anytime After Hours is a great tool that allows your patients to continue to receive safe, accurate, and reliable care in the medical home even when you are away. You will be able to return to your office with a reduced workload and improved overall well-being. Your patients will reap the benefits of your restoration with your ability to provide better care to them.

As we look forward to a more normal summer this year, you can truly relax and unwind without unexpected patient calls. Anytime After Hours offers you the confidence that your patients will be guided to the appropriate source for care even when your office may be closed in the coming months. For more information, contact us to set up a consultation today!