What are Virtual Medical Informaticians

Background

In the past, we had the doctor in the office consumed with typing and inputting all of the patient data/information. With the COVID-19 pandemic, patient visits shifted further from in-person office visits to the virtual settings, largely telehealth. This shift to telehealth demands a new look on charting and virtual healthcare. 

​

Medical records pose a significant challenge. When we look at burnout causes for physicians, it really has to do with the administrative burden, especially electronic health records. When we talk to young physicians. We sort of say, “your life begins when your charts are done.”

The challenge boils down to having to see the patient, do the vital signs, get a history, identify the care gaps, do the physical, and then come up with a diagnosis, treatment plan, and regimen. While this may sound feasible when time is limitless, more often than not these demands need to all be completed within about 20 minutes.

How do we achieve that? Well, it takes a team approach. It is not feasible anymore for a physician to handle all of the notetaking.  This is where virtual medical informaticians come into play.