Learning from the Future of Primary Care
As I stepped into the bustling Kansas City Convention Center, the air was electric with possibility. The AAFP National Conference 2024 was in full swing, and I found myself swept up in a sea of eager faces—the next generation of family physicians ready to shape the future of healthcare. Alongside our own Dr. Sara Pastoor and our customer Dr. Sabina Singh from Anovia Health, I was eager to have my perspectives challenged and to reignite my passion for what we do at Elation.
The convention center hummed with the energy of thousands of medical students and residents, their enthusiasm palpable as they navigated booths, attended lectures, and engaged in animated discussions. These young professionals, with their fresh ideas and unwavering idealism, are the very people we at Elation are working to empower.
Their journey is our purpose, and their success is our mission.
The Shift to Early Adopters
As we began to discuss AI, technology, and EMRs, I was struck by the hunger for knowledge that radiated from these future doctors. Their eyes lit up at the mention of automation, and their questions came rapid-fire, each more challenging than the last.
One med student asked eagerly, "So are you guys doing anything with AI?" Their curiosity was matched only by their optimism. These weren't the jaded, exhausted professionals we often encounter; these were eager minds, ready to embrace technology that could transform their practice and improve patient care.
The oldest millennials are around 43 and the oldest Gen Zers are around 26. They're digital natives, experts at using information and data to collaborate and streamline processes. Winning them over is key, as they make up about 46% of the full-time U.S. workforce, 30% of all family physicians, and 60% of PAs.
As our conversations deepened, I found myself scribbling notes, trying to capture every nugget of insight. These young students and doctors are visionaries, with clear ideas about what they need to thrive in their future practices. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself reimagining the possibilities of what we could achieve at Elation.
As I reflect on these interactions, I'm filled with a renewed sense of purpose. The eager learners are our future partners, our inspiration, and our guide to creating technology that truly serves the needs of the future of primary care.
A New Perspective on Choosing Technology
As our conversations with the attendees deepened, I was struck by their approach to choosing technology. These digital natives, raised in an era of intuitive apps and seamless user experiences, brought a refreshingly discerning eye to healthcare technology.
There was a clear sentiment that they want technology that will help them succeed and simplify their lives. They look for intuitive designs that mimic the apps and tools they use on a day-to-day basis. They need true efficiency that reduces the amount of charting and administrative work they are tasked with.
One medical student's perspective particularly resonated with me. He expressed a desire for technology that "disappears into the background" - something seamless, so he can focus entirely on his patient, not on navigating software.
The students and residents had clear ideas for how technology should improve patient care and practice management. They want systems that can automatically generate things like population health reports, and a third-year resident suggested automated prescription refill protocols.
Another insight that emerged was the strong desire among students and residents to have hands-on experience with EMR systems before committing to them in their future practices. They've grown up in an era of free trials, transparent pricing, and user reviews, and they expect to be able to thoroughly evaluate tools before adoption.
They want access to full environments, not just promotional videos or walkthroughs. They want to know the price without having to engage with sales teams, and they are turned off by fees and add-ons. They have a strong interest in understanding the advanced functionalities of systems, and have an explicit openness to change and adaptation if it means finding a system that truly improves their workflow.
This mindset means Elation needs to be confident enough in its product to let it speak for itself in the hands of discerning users. By leveraging our tools, along with a focus on product-led growth, Elation can create a feedback loop that allows for continuous refinement and improvement based on real-world use.
High Expectations
It became clear that the support expectations of these future physicians are shaped by their experiences as digital natives. Many expressed concern about being stuck on hold with a support line, preferring self-service options and flexibility to communicate via chat, phone, or social media. They also want proactive support features that anticipate and solve issues before they arise.
Attendees showed enthusiasm for community-based support, appreciating the ability to connect with other physicians using the same EMR to share tips and solve problems together.
Perhaps the most surprising revelation was the glaring absence of EMR training in medical education. Students and residents described feeling underprepared and overwhelmed when faced with real-world EMR use, spending hours on documentation and constantly fearing missing critical information. One resident remarked, "I spent years learning medicine, but I feel like I need another degree just to use our EMR efficiently."
This training gap represents both a challenge and an opportunity for Elation. It underscores the need for more intuitive, user-friendly systems, but also opens up possibilities for Elation to partner with medical education institutions to bridge this gap. Providing medical students with early access to streamlined, primary care-focused EMR systems could help shape their expectations and skills from the outset.
As our conversations progressed, the younger generation of physicians expressed genuine bewilderment at the complexity of current EMR systems, particularly in primary care. They are frustrated with excessive clicks for simple tasks, tired of outdated user interfaces, and overwhelmed by disjointed systems and incomprehensible amounts of data.
"Why does it take 30 clicks to order a simple blood test?" one exasperated resident asked with frustration. This sentiment was echoed across the board, as students and residents struggled to reconcile the sleek, user-friendly apps they use in their personal lives with the cumbersome interfaces they encounter in healthcare settings.
The younger generation sees EMRs not as a necessary evil, but as a potential ally that's failing to live up to its promise. Their confusion about the unnecessary complexity presents a challenge, forcing us to question every feature, every click, and every piece of information we present.
These future physicians are calling for a fundamental rethink of how we approach healthcare technology. They're asking us to strip away the unnecessary and focus on what truly matters: supporting patient care. We should also think beyond incremental improvements and push towards transformative solutions that guide new physicians through the complexities of the healthcare system while allowing them to focus on what matters most. Keeping these eager learners in mind is key, as their needs, frustrations, and visions for the future should guide Elation's innovation efforts.
a community uniting tech and primary care.
A(I) Vision for Patient Interaction and Work-Life Balance
sponsorship stops by the booth.
The mention of artificial intelligence sparked excitement among the conference attendees, who envision a future where AI could transform their patient interactions. Many expressed a desire for technology that would allow them to focus on the patient, without a laptop screen between them or even in the room.
The students and residents had clear ideas for how AI could enhance their practice, such as using ambient voice recognition to document encounters, intelligent assistants to handle administrative tasks, predictive analytics to flag potential health issues, and natural language processing to summarize patient records. The only concerns that were expressed revolved around data privacy risks and algorithmic bias, calling out the need for responsible AI implementation.
The future physicians saw AI as a supportive tool rather than a replacement for human judgment. They talked about the potential for AI-assisted communication, such as automating lab result interpretation and patient follow-up letters, to save time and improve the quality of care.
Many of the students and residents expressed feeling overwhelmed by the high patient volumes they were expected to manage, even early in their careers. This sentiment was widespread, with concerns about burnout before they've fully begun their careers.
In this context, Direct Primary Care (DPC) emerged as an appealing alternative, with its focus on prioritizing patient relationships over volume. However, the path to DPC was not without obstacles, as they expressed uncertainty about the financial stability and business management skills required to transition from residency.
The concept of longer, unhurried patient visits in a DPC model was revolutionary to these future physicians, who envisioned having the time to listen, address complex health issues, and build genuine relationships with patients. Yet, they were also confused about why this model was not more widely adopted, uncovering an opportunity for solutions that support and guide users to succeeding with innovative practice models.
These conversations have reinforced my belief that we're crafting tools that can help reshape the landscape of primary care. In addressing the needs and aspirations of these future physicians, we can contribute to a healthcare system that better serves both doctors and patients.
As we move forward, we should keep these voices in mind. Realizing their dreams of meaningful patient interactions, and subsequently a sustainable and fulfilling career in primary care supported by technology, should be the sign of our success.
