Stacy Wood Analyzes Ways to Ease Physician Workload While Improving Patient Care

An article recently published by NEJM Catalyst spotlights the work of Stacy Wood, Langdon Distinguished University Professor of Marketing at the Poole College of Management, who offered a novel solution to alleviate the critical issue of physician overload and improve patient care. Wood and her colleagues examined the shift in clinical medicine from in-person care to virtual “tele-visits”—a transition accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—and developed a digitally enabled care (DEC) framework. This framework leverages technology to reduce physician workload while improving the quality of patient care. Their work focuses on the challenges physicians face, including workflow overload caused by increased electronic documentation and patient messaging, and outlines the necessary features for the successful implementation of a comprehensive DEC framework.

By applying consumer-behavior theory and emerging technology, they demonstrate how well-designed digital systems can better support patients throughout their care journey, making care more effective and accessible without placing additional burdens on physicians.

Read more from NEJM Catalyst.