Healthcare Worker Burnout: 5 Technologies That Could Help

Technology is the cornerstone of just about every industry nowadays, and the massive healthcare industry is no exception. Modern healthcare is more advanced than ever, and caring for patients is becoming easier and more effective because of new technologies.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on some of the weaknesses the healthcare industry is struggling to improve. A serious issue many healthcare workers are facing right now is burnout — a unique type of job-related stress — and the situation is only getting worse.

New and emerging technologies might serve as a potential solution to healthcare worker burnout.

Healthcare Workers and Burnout in 2023

Unfortunately, many healthcare workers are experiencing significant cases of burnout. Burnout, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion directly tied to one’s job.

Workers experiencing burnout often feel a reduced sense of accomplishment, interest in their roles and responsibilities, and even a lost sense of purpose or identity.

Burnout is running rampant in the healthcare industry. Some of the symptoms of caregiver burnout include:

• Lack of energy
• Fatigue/sleeping problems
• Increased symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Mood swings
• Feeling hopeless
• Withdrawal from usual activities
• Difficulty coping with stress or sadness
• Unintended weight gain or loss

A 2021 survey from Cross County Healthcare, Inc. found that nearly 37% of nurses were burned out, overworked, or stressed, causing more nurses to consider leaving their jobs.

Only 32% of them were satisfied with their jobs, a decline from the 52% who reported feeling satisfied before the pandemic.

5 Technologies That Potentially Reduce Burnout in Healthcare Workers

Various new technologies in the healthcare sector are sparking change. Take telehealth, for example.

The significant increase in telehealth and telemedicine services made it much easier for patients to receive care from doctors at a time when leaving home meant potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

Without telehealth appointments, it would’ve been more difficult for people to find decent medical care. Humans weren’t the only ones to benefit from telehealth or telemedicine, either — veterinary services went digital and even offered animal healthcare online during the pandemic.

Explore some of the technologies that might help alleviate the cases of burnout in healthcare workers.

1. Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

RPA can be a major boon to healthcare organizations. Caregivers are often responsible for loads of paperwork, filling out electronic health records (EHRs), and processing claims.

The main purpose of RPA is to use various advanced algorithms to automate monotonous or repetitive tasks for doctors and other medical workers.

In doing so, RPA-enabled equipment and computer systems to operate without human intervention, freeing up doctors, nurses, and other medical staff to care for patients instead.

Employees can automate claims processing, insurance paperwork, and other EHR processes to focus on more meaningful duties.

Healthcare workers can achieve high productivity in the areas of their job that need it most urgently, such as administering medications to patients, performing life-saving surgeries, and diagnosing medical conditions.

2. Workforce Management System (WMS)

Another piece of technology that could help healthcare workers avoid burnout is a state-of-the-art workforce management system (WMS). WMSs are critical in today’s healthcare sector, as they enable healthcare facilities to manage a productive staff.

There are many types of software and service platforms available in the WMS space to assist healthcare providers with scheduling, reducing costs, improving efficiency, and delivering positive patient outcomes.

The risk of poor patient outcomes and the shortage of skilled workers are straining today’s industry.

A high-performing WMS might not solve labor shortages or poor patient experiences, but it could play a major role in reducing worker burnout.

Nurses and doctors benefit from enhanced staffing and scheduling with a WMS, meaning they might be able to work fewer hours and strike a work-life balance.

3. Remote Monitoring

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) tools, whether Bluetooth-enabled glucometers, spirometers, weight scales, or manometers, are becoming increasingly popular in healthcare.

RPM devices help medical workers monitor their patients from afar, so they can stay on top of any changes as they happen from any location.

With remote monitoring, physicians can monitor a patient’s medical condition, vitals, or basic health metrics without having them visit the office or spend time on a phone or video call.

Ultimately, remote monitoring helps healthcare providers save time and effort, helping reduce feelings of burnout.

Another benefit of RPM is that it can reduce the number of hospitalization cases. RPM can prevent or delay complications from diseases.

Fewer patients in a hospital ease the burden on an already busy staff, which gives them more time to take breaks, eat, drink water, and take care of their bodies and minds.

4. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chatbots

AI is becoming more widely used in just about every industry. AI-powered healthcare chatbots are one technology that could also reduce employee fatigue.

Instead of answering calls or emails, or scheduling appointments, employees allow an AI chatbot to start the triage process with patients. The chatbot can gather intake forms, ask patients about their symptoms and guide them on the next steps.

AI healthcare chatbots are revolutionizing the way healthcare providers interact with their patients, and employees get to benefit from chatbots as well.

In these instances, patients can receive a more streamlined version of an in-office visit from the comfort of their own homes through their devices, like smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

5. Digital Wellness Tools

The tech mentioned above might not eliminate employee burnout entirely, but it could alleviate some of the burdens employees carry throughout their workdays.

Additionally, digital wellness tools can help employees cope with common burnout symptoms, like sleeping problems, anxiety and depression, and lack of energy or motivation.

Mental health matters, especially in the caregiving and healthcare field. It’s crucial for providers to take care of their own mental well-being so they can show up to work and care for others.

Various digital wellness tools — like Headspace, Wellness 360, Pulse, and more — can help employees prioritize their mental, physical and emotional well-being to curb the effects of burnout.

Using New Tech to Reduce Burnout in Healthcare Workers

It’s safe to say that jobs in the healthcare sector are very demanding. Doctors, nurses, caregivers, and other hospital staff are busy professionals, working with patients and trying to deliver the best, highest quality care possible.

Achieving these goals can become challenging, especially at a time when risks are high and hospitals are busy.

Burnout in healthcare workers is increasingly common. If healthcare companies want to ensure their staff is operating successfully, it’s critical they adopt and implement some of the technologies above.

Technology won’t remove potential workplace barriers like burnout, but it can surely alleviate the burdens healthcare workers face in their roles.