By Christopher Rand, CEO, AngelEye Health
The explosion of technology and applications almost necessary to manage modern life can weigh heavily on individuals. One-third of US consumers reported that over the last few years, they have increasingly felt overwhelmed by the number of devices and subscriptions needed to navigate their day. In many instances, this incidence climbs higher among parents with children as well as adolescents and adults working remotely, as consumers with more devices and digital subscriptions are more likely to report feelings of "tech overwhelm.”
The main driver of this fatigue is cognitive overload, brought on by our increased time with and dependence on technology. It has taken a toll on human attention, decision-making capacity, and emotional well-being. These factors have contributed to rising rates of depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder. The isolation and economic upheaval of the past few years have contributed to a spike in mental health conditions, and digital fatigue has the potential to pile on to the behavioral health crisis we're experiencing.
This fatigue is being felt in the healthcare sector as well. While access to technology has greatly influenced patient expectations, the need for providers to keep up with multiple platforms, devices, and user experiences can quickly make the digital experience unmanageable.
Technology Fatigue and Providers
Thirty-one percent of primary care physicians in a recent survey report symptoms of burnout, with most attributing their burnout to EHR and computer use as well as the rising burden of administrative work.
The dramatic shift to telehealth and digital health delivery has contributed to these effects overall. In fact, an increased reliance on video and electronic health applications has been associated with:
- Physical eye fatigue
- Neck pain
- Stress
- Tiredness
- Behavioral impacts
- Trouble with engagement
- Emotional wear and tear
- Exhaustion
- Cognitive inattention
Increased multitasking and growing workloads are also taking a considerable toll on providers' morale and putting the profession's future in peril.
How to Fix It
Many providers are experiencing digital burnout from the burdens that integrations can place on their workflows. Knowing this, adding more applications or technologies for use by care teams must be a coordinated decision. Technology providers must work harder to ease the cognitive burden on providers and positively impact pre-existing processes.
Today, the market is at an inflection point. While the impact of the past few years has heightened employer awareness of digital fatigue within the healthcare arena, it has also made them more attuned to the "patchwork" of solutions they have in place. Healthcare leaders are now taking the digital burnout of their employees and patients into account and seeking end-to-end solutions that provide multiple services and consolidate technology applications. While most in-person care has returned to normal levels, employers are realizing the staying power of virtual care offerings and are moving away from "ad hoc" investments. They are moving toward a broader strategy in digital health that can be sustainable. Organizations are now more intentional in the technology investments they make for their facilities.
The Solution
Digital applications and technologies in healthcare are expanding rapidly, and it is difficult to imagine how to rein in the growth and find a way to leverage it while benefiting patients and providers alike. Hospital c-suite executives and decision makers looking to cut costs, streamline workflows, improve patient outcomes and foster a positive work environment for care teams should:
- Explore digital health applications that offer end-to-end solutions;
- Move away from considering a laundry list of different applications that do not integrate;
- Ensure that the chosen technology solutions help make staff's life easier, not introduce a learning curve or add extra work to what providers are already handling.
The opportunity to optimize workflows, improve the patient experience, and provide a less burdensome work environment is the goal of integrated end-to-end digital technologies. Vendors that can provide bundled services and solutions are standing out among their competitors for offering a unified, integrated platform for providers, patients and families alike.
AngelEye Health has a deep understanding of the value that both family engagement and family-centered care bring to the neonatal and pediatric intensive care environment. We provide an end-to-end HIPAA-compliant family engagement platform to integrate parents simply and seamlessly into the child's care team. Our approach has a proven, positive impact on the quality of the family experience, care delivery workflows for the dedicated bedside team, and patient outcomes. From admission to discharge, AngelEye positively impacts staff, families, and patients along the journey and ultimately to a successful transition home. From bonding, patient progress and treatment communication, feeding, and focused education, AngelEye offers a portfolio of solutions for supporting the highly specialized needs of the NICU and PICU today and of the future. www.angeleyehealth.com