CHICAGO – The American Medical Association has launched an interactive tool to help physicians deal with burnout.
Dr. Steven Stack, who takes over as AMA president on June 9, said the organization wants “to the restore the joy to the practice of medicine. I think physicians feel besieged right now by an overburdened regulatory environment, too much paperwork, too much time doing clerical tasks that support the provision of care, and too little time actually interacting with patients.”
Gregory Twachtman/Frontline Medical News
The AMA's Dr. Steven Stack, Dr. James Madara, and Michael Tutty announce the launch of the STEPS Forward program.
The “STEPS Forward” program gives physicians access to online modules to help them improve their practices. Currently, 16 modules are available addressing practice efficiency and patient care, patient health, physician health, and technology and innovation. Each module includes steps for implementation and case studies as well as downloadable tools, videos, and resources. CME credits are available for completed modules.
The modules were designed by physician teams, and all include real-world examples of how the processes that are displayed have been implemented.
We “recognize that in a complex world where everyone’s busy, giving someone a PDF outlining what to do does not get much traction,” AMA CEO Dr. James Madara said during a June 8 press conference at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association House of Delegates..
The AMA, in partnership with the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), also are looking for solutions to add to the STEPS Forward program and plan to award several $10,000 prizes for those who propose the best solutions that help physicians adapt to the changing work environment. Entries are due Sept. 1. Dr. Madara said he hopes to give awards to at least five physicians and their practices for their ideas, but if more come in, AMA and MGMA will make more awards. He hopes those winners will be ready to be announced at MGMA’s annual meeting in October.