By Fayola Edwards-Ojeba, MD
2024 brings with it opportunities to challenge the status quo in medicine. Skyrocketing health care costs are a concern, with physicians potentially affected by decreased reimbursements and patient access and increasing mergers for employed physicians. AI will continue to impact medicine- from personalized medicine, data mining and algorithms to streamline administrative burden- even as the government ramps up restrictions on its implementation.
The emphasis on physician and healthcare worker wellness will continue through 2024. With the increased spotlight on burnout after the pandemic, the long term effects of long COVID and mental health implications on physicians, organizations and healthcare systems will be incentivized to pursue systemic and national tools to support the healthcare workforce’s mental health.
Advocating for physicians will remain crucial. The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing continued cuts to Medicare with a proposed 3.3% cut to physician reimbursement in 2024. The drain on the physician workforce from burnout is persistent and growing. Physicians and healthcare workers will require systemic support to address administrative and bureaucratic roadblocks to practicing and thriving in medicine.
Year-end review of 2023
The year spanned a pandemic and the healthcare community’s collective reemergence into a new normal. With the official end of the three year public health emergency, physicians and healthcare professionals were tasked with reinventing their identity as the world shifted.
A welcome focus this year was on mental health reform, in light of the plight of physician suicide and the mental health toll from the pandemic. The year saw state medical boards commitment to removing questions regarding physicians’ mental health history for licensure and increasing access to mental health support for overworked physicians. Yet more work is needed as only 1% of physicians access mental health resources.
Prior authorization came under increased scrutiny due to the administrative toll on physicians and delay in patient access. Insurers, such as United Health Group, have set a pathway to overhaul the prior auth process and legislation was passed to increase oversight and ensure safe guards to necessary patient access. Artificial Intelligence (AI) played a prominent role in medicine via its utility in addressing administrative burdens like prior authorizations and EHR efficiency while gaining ground in automating processes and streamlining patient care.
Systemic pressures also influenced medicine this year. Although still uncommon among physicians, the resurgence and interest in unions in medicine was undeniable. During the year, Congress introduced legislature to reverse physician shortages by bolstering the numbers of primary care physicians and access. These changes will have long term impacts on physician work balance and satisfaction and will guide change in the upcoming year.
