AMS - 221219 - AMS Journal Winter 2023 - Vol 119 - Issue 3 - single pages | Page 13

We need to identify and eliminate the root causes found at the system level that are driving physicians away from medicine in alarming numbers .
Each of these initiatives is a complex undertaking that will require collaboration , focus , resources and resolve . Achieving all of them is within our grasp ; however , doing so will streamline health care delivery , reduce costs , improve patient care and support innovation while also allowing us to respond much more effectively to the next public health emergency .
Consider the changes we ’ ve already seen in telehealth . The large-scale adoption and expansion of telehealth services during the pandemic enabled physicians to meet patient needs while reducing risks . The AMA is committed to building on that success by permanently eliminating coverage restrictions and other barriers that predated the pandemic , and giving physicians the resources and tools needed to seamlessly integrate telehealth services into their practices . You can find comprehensive , step-by-step guides to implementing the full range of digital health solutions in the AMA Digital Health Implementation Playbooks ,

Leaders in Medical Education just one of the many free resources offered online to help physicians put telehealth into practice .

Reducing physician burnout and restoring joy to the practice of medicine is another important element of the Recovery Plan . The strategy here must focus on much more than increasing resiliency . We need to identify and eliminate the root causes found at the system level that are driving physicians away from medicine in alarming numbers . Physician wellness took a major step forward with enactment of the Dr . Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act , but we need to press forward to achieve more legislative , regulatory and health system advancements that support the mental health needs of medical students , residents and practicing physicians .
Of course , we can make tremendous strides toward improving physician wellness by fixing the overly onerous prior authorization process , which steals time that could otherwise be spent treating patients and ties up both physicians and their support staff . AMA research has demonstrated that the average physician deals with more than 40 prior authorization requests each week , which require about 13 hours to complete . The AMA continues to push for prior authorization reform with multiple initiatives designed to the overall number of requests , while promoting automation in completing them and making requirement criteria more transparent .
Reforming the Medicare payment system with an emphasis on financial stability and predictability , and eliminating scope of practice expansions that threaten patient safety round out our five-point Recovery Plan . By helping create a health care system that works better for physicians we create a process that works better for patients and , importantly , places the patient-physician relationship at the center , where it belongs . This is the AMA ’ s vision for our health system , and one we wholly committed to achieving . ■
New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine ( NYITCOM ) at Arkansas State University is committed to training talented physicians who aspire to become servant leaders that positively impact their communities .
Contact us to learn more about the two degree programs offered on our Jonesboro campus :
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine ( D . O .) Master of Science , Biomedical Sciences
Training Physicians In Arkansas , For Arkansas nyit . edu / arkansas | 870.680.8816 | ComjbAdmissions @ nyit . edu
WINTER 2023 | VOLUME 119 | NUMBER 3 81