Thanks
I'm a resident at the moment. By "administrative work" I basically refer to work that isnt using one's medical brain of taking hx, forming differentials and managing patients based on one's medical knowledge. So yea, prior auths disability paperwork discharge summaries etc
I have a feeling working with these kinds of things day in and day out will suck the joy out of my job real fast, so I'm wondering where theres the least of this...
paper work is forever.
if you ended up being a hospitalist in a hospital without PAs or residents, you would do your own discharge paperwork.
even if you were a hospitalist at a place with PA/NP/residents, you would stilll have to go over it with a fine tooth comb and also add your attending section as well.
I just look at this paperwork as a necessary burden.
A) no paperwork - no payment from insurance
B) keep track of what is going on meticulously so I do not have to store it in my brain. I refer to my own prior detailed note and willl know what happened and what to do.
C) document everything clearly and honestly in the event of a bad outcome so you protect yourself (assuming you did nothing wrong)
as a hospitalist , case management and social work does most of this for you. you just write your clinical notes and sign face to face sheets.
as a PCP, you will need to have this staff to do similar things for you.
as a subspecialist, case management and hospitalist helps you for inpatients. You just recommend what is needed and communicate.
as an outpatient, this will vary. If I need Nucala or Tezspire for asthma, I have to run a PA (my staff knows how to go to the online portals and upload my note). My staff also has to three way call with patients to call specialty pharmacy because I have very nonfunctional patients who refuse to do anything him/herself. if I need radiology, my staff does the online PA portal for CTs etc... you need staff to help you or else you will be burdened to no end if you did it yourself.
Cardiologists tell me they do a visit and EKG or EKG stress test on day 1, then have to get PA for everything such as the echo, the nuke, the holter, the carotid etc...
Oncologists have to get auth and order the chemo and immunotherapy.
etc...
but my take is as a subspecialist, doing this extra admin stuff is "meaningful." As PCP, trying to get "something the patient wants but doesn't need" is just mind numbing and soul draining.