In today’s healthcare environment, the once-familiar sounds of conversations have been replaced by the incessant clicking of keyboards and mice. This shift is a result of government policies, insurance coding requirements, and the advent of electronic health records (EHRs). Clinicians, especially in primary care, now document almost every action they take.
Regulators view these clicks as essential. They ensure that diagnoses and treatment plans are documented, justify reimbursements, and meet quality metrics. However, the impact of these documentation requirements is significant. Experts have observed a rise in “pajama time,” where clinicians spend personal time completing documentation. This burden negatively affects patient experiences and contributes to clinician burnout and attrition.
To address these challenges, healthcare systems, experts, and policymakers are seeking solutions to reduce clinician burnout by streamlining electronic documentation and enhancing patient satisfaction. In late 2023, the Novant Health Center Public Policy Solutions proposed a change targeting billing and documentation regulations for chronic condition management and annual preventive visits.
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans must cover annual preventive visits at no cost to the patient. However, discussing chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension during these visits requires documentation as a separate visit, resulting in an additional bill. This policy affects many patients. At Novant Health, over 60% of Medicare patients and nearly a quarter of commercially insured patients incur extra costs during annual preventive visits due to these requirements.
The Center’s clinician leaders propose a solution: expand the definition of annual preventive visits to include chronic condition management. This change would allow for a single, comprehensive visit, reducing the documentation burden and improving patient satisfaction. It aligns with the goal of people-focused care, minimizing the clicks and regulations that stand between patients and clinicians.
