Healthcare Burnout Isn’t Only for Providers. Have You Checked in with Patients Lately?

Urgent care providers and operators are probably too aware of how common burnout is among healthcare professionals, especially since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s true, of course, and it is a serious, ongoing concern. However, an article just published by Time magazine points out that patients may also be experiencing their own variety of burnout associated with healthcare. One factor the piece notes—having to wait weeks to see a provider when the patient feels ill today—obviously plays into urgent care’s strengths. And the article raises that point, noting that visits to UC have increased as primary visits have gone down. Patients complaining that they get minimal time with a provider cuts across all practice settings, however, as does confusion over insurance coverage and rancor over healthcare costs. The bottom line is, it’s a mistake to assume patients are uniformly grateful that you’ve taken the time to see them when they’re feeling poorly. If you want them to walk away feeling that you’ve truly helped them—and that they’ll come back again—it’s important to consider their perspective. JUCM published an article that could be helpful in that regard. Creating the ‘Ideal’ Urgent Care Experience is available in our archive right now.