Should Doctors And Nurses Have Productivity Goals?

Nursing productivity is crucial for healthcare delivery, as it involves the physical inputs used to achieve a given level of health outcomes in treating a specific disease. Policy makers often focus on new technologies that disrupt usual working practices as the key to higher productivity, which can alienate some. To measure productivity in healthcare, an accurate view of the patient population served, extenuating care needs, case mix index, and variations in admissions, discharges, and transfers is essential.

The shortage of healthcare workers, particularly nurses and physicians, is a growing problem worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that the global shortage in the healthcare workforce will reach about 15 million by 2030. Balancing financial, clinical, and operational goals, thoughtful productivity targets ensure the department is not overstaffed or understaffed.

There are five key strategies within our control that can help increase productivity in the pursuit of meaningful work in academic medicine. Efficiency and productivity should not be emphasized to the extent that members of the healthcare team are forced to work around or curtail them. When capable nurses are given greater responsibility for each patient encounter, good results follow. Nurses’ productivity is assumed to be a determinant factor affecting patients’ health promotion.

Bains’ 2024 UK Front Line of Healthcare Survey explores the root causes of workplace unhappiness amongst doctors and nurses. By focusing on improving efficiency and productivity, healthcare organizations can work towards a more efficient and effective healthcare system.