2022 was another pivotal year in healthcare, with many organizations responding to the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Telehealth continued to take hold. Organizations leaned into innovative technology and automation to be more efficient and provide targeted data insights. Leaders focused on rational staffing and job design to retain and support employees.

Throughout 2022, athenahealth covered these changes, focusing on the trends that are most likely to endure and create real change in the healthcare ecosystem.

Here are the top Connections stories of 2022:

1. Telehealth begins to fulfill its promise

Even as in-person care rebounded, clinicians and patients were still relying on telehealth for its convenience and how it adds to the continuum of care. It proved particularly beneficial for patients managing chronic conditions and those seeking new mental health services. Although the gains were not equal across all patient populations, there is a real opportunity to use telehealth to connect more patients to primary and preventive care.

2. How the power to turn data into insights can revolutionize the healthcare continuum

A more technologically advanced and densely connected healthcare ecosystem benefits every stakeholder involved. Accessing all patient data through a single app streamlines the patient experience. Connecting primary care, specialist, and payer data catches care gaps. And benchmarking and other data insights lead to better care and improved VBC performance.

3. The changing face of healthcare requires different sets of eyes — and pairs of hands

With The Great Resignation and ongoing burnout in healthcare increasing staffing challenges, organizations are rethinking the way they organize teams and design jobs. Some are adding new roles, like patient navigators or care ambassadors. Others focus on logical job design and staff feedback to keep employees satisfied and effective. And most are managing all of this in a world of hybrid in-person and remote work. 

4. Breaking the burnout cycle

Organizations are also turning to outsourcing to reduce demands on staff and free them up to focus on patient care. Increasingly, organizations look to expert partners to handle the administrative burden of coding, authorization management, and claims resolution. 

5. 4 strategies to reduce documentation time

Documentation time is another key driver of clinician burnout. Data from the athenahealth network show increased delegation and optimal use of EHR-related tools, like training and accelerators, can make a big difference in reducing “pajama time” for clinicians.

6. Transitioning to a new EHR doesn’t have to be overwhelming

The good news is, with the right partner, organizations report that the switch to a more intuitive and powerful EHR isn’t as hard as they fear. Ease of use right out of the box, clear training, and ongoing support made these EHR transitions run smoothly.

7. Experts share insights on strategic innovation

New apps, artificial intelligence, and true interoperability are poised to transform everything from the provider-patient relationship to fully embracing value-based care. Solutions that connect clinicians to patients, payers to clinicians, and EHR to EHR will be game changers for the healthcare ecosystem, and the benefits will be felt by every one of us.