More Evidence That the Healthcare Administrative Burden Is Real, Widespread and Has Serious Consequences Comment on "Perceived Burden Due to Registrations for Quality Monitoring and Improvement in Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study".

Albert J Heuer

doi:10.34172/ijhpm.2021.129

Abstract

Countries around the world have implemented programs to help monitor and enhance the quality of health services provided. Inherent in these programs and internal process improvement initiatives are an array of reporting requirements which often place a burden on clinicians and the organizations in which they function. Zegers and colleagues performed a mixed methods study on the perceived burden which these reporting requirements place on doctors, nurses, and other clinicians within three hospitals in the Netherlands. Like all studies, theirs has some minor limitations; most notably possible limits on generalizability from a limited sample. Nonetheless, their project makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research which suggests that the burden has deleterious effects on clinicians and may well have an erosive impact on patient care.

Highlights

The manuscript entitled “Perceived Burden Due to Registrations for Quality Monitoring and Improvement in Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study,” by Zegers et al[1] focuses is on an important topic related to what they call registrations, and what is increasing being referred to in the literature as the administrative burden in healthcare
Administrative burden refers to documentation and administrative reporting duties imposed on clinicians due to organizational policies as well as governmental and oversight reporting requirements.[2]
The shift to value-based healthcare, or that which seeks to optimize outcomes which matter to patients in relation to associated costs, is at least partially attributable to the acceptance of the work of experts like Micheal Porter of Harvard Business School.[3]

Summary

Introduction

The manuscript entitled “Perceived Burden Due to Registrations for Quality Monitoring and Improvement in Hospitals: A Mixed Methods Study,” by Zegers et al[1] focuses is on an important topic related to what they call registrations, and what is increasing being referred to in the literature as the administrative burden in healthcare. A study done in the Denmark supports the notion that reporting systems which have a high administrative (compliance) burden, negatively impact work performance and output in healthcare settings.

Results

Conclusion