Practical Practice Enhancements: Applying Evidence Based Strategies

Vinod Nambudiri from Brigham and Women's Hospital discussed practical enhancements in clinical practice using evidence-based strategies to optimize patient care. He highlighted the importance of reducing skin biopsy waste, employing a framework from Stanford that effectively decreased waste by 50% through education and standardization. This not only cut costs but also improved environmental impact. Nambudiri emphasized the efficient use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) via smart phrases to streamline documentation, significantly reducing time spent on administrative tasks, with a study showing a time saving of nearly 50 seconds per documentation task. He also discussed the growing role of virtual visits, especially post-COVID, which can save time and improve accessibility for routine follow-ups, bolstered by integrated patient questionnaires to facilitate better pre-visit information. Finally, he examined the evolving role of medical scribes in dermatology, noting their positive impacts on documentation burden, job satisfaction, and patient volume, alongside newer technologies like AI-based documentation systems that promise further enhancements in practice efficiency. Nambudiri’s points reinforced the value of optimizing practice workflows to improve care and reduce clinician burnout.