The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the healthcare system operates. It's taken a tremendous toll on the many physicians and advanced healthcare practitioners who are responding to the crisis. But the toll goes well beyond the countless hours they've dedicated to helping patients. It's also put an enormous strain on their mental health.
The medical profession can be an exciting, rewarding, but ultimately challenging pursuit. One study found that 42% of doctors experience burnout while performing their daily duties. That's a reasonably high rate. With the constant demands combined with the physical and emotional toll that they experience, it can significantly challenge physicians looking to provide top levels of care. That's why physicians must maintain a positive, resilient attitude in both their personal and professional lives.
Becoming a physician requires years of medical training and dedicated practice. And while there's no doubt a set of baseline medical skills a physician must possess to succeed in the role, there's more to it than just receiving credentials. It's not enough to be proficient in the medical requirements of the job.
Telehealth has seen rapid growth both before and following the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its convenience, more patients are interested in telehealth for increased access, safety, and efficiency.
Wishing nurse practitioners across the country a happy NP Week! We appreciate your skillful expertise, comprehensive approach to health, and all you do to expand patient-centered, high-quality care for the millions who need it.
Let's say thanks and get to know why nurse practitioners are so crucial to our individual, family, and community health. Here's a snapshot of why we acknowledge and honor NPs this week:
"If we accept that sound is vibration and we know that vibration touches every part of our physical being, then we understand that sound is heard not only through our ears but through every cell in our bodies." – Integrative Oncologist Dr. Mitchell Gaynor.
Healers and physicians have been using sounds to soothe their patients since ancient times. In ancient Greece, the flute was played to calm patients with gout. Aristotle believed the cathartic effect of music could mimic the impact of some medical treatments, and quiet rooms were designed to help patients dream of healthy states of mind. This profound use of sound and music carries over across cultures. In China, music and healing have gone hand-in-hand for centuries. The Chinese character for medicine 藥 yào stems from the character for music 樂, yuè.
Thanks to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, virtual interviews are on the rise for all industries, including healthcare. For a physician, explaining your qualifications over technology is a lot different from pitching them in person. You may worry that you won’t seem sincere enough when you can’t meet your potential coworkers in person.
In honor of National PA Week, VISTA wishes to extend a sincere and tremendous thank-you to physician assistants everywhere. From October 6-12, we’re celebrating National PA Week, which recognizes the PA profession and its contributions to the nation’s healthcare. During PA Week, we hope you’ll have the chance to talk to a PA about what it is they do, and why they're proud to do it.
With the ongoing physician shortages, locum tenens healthcare providers have never been more in demand. Medical organizations are looking to supplement their staffing needs with locum tenens clinicians to provide continuity of care.
As self-employed, independent contractors, locum tenens clinicians don’t have access to a traditional employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or pension plan. But that doesn't mean that they should not or cannot save for retirement; they need to find alternatives to ensure long-term financial stability.
