Managing 3 Doctors’ In-Basket Tasks

As a physician, what is the highest number of colleagues you have covered in your practice while they are away?

Many people take time off during the summer, including physicians. When you are the one staying behind and are assigned to cover your colleagues’ patients, you are probably dreading it. I used to think that it was unfair that I had to cover my colleagues. Sure, they cover my patients while I am away. Depending on who is covering my patients, I dread even more because of the quality of coverage I have experienced.

When you have a full schedule of patients, and potentially more than full because you are seeing a few of your colleagues’ patients, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. You have your own patients to take care of, and adding to your plate is more patients whom you do not know well.

You are probably thinking that there is no way to see your patients, tackle your own in-basket tasks, address your colleagues’ in-basket tasks, and still go home at a decent hour with everything done.

Access the situation. Look at the amount of work you are supposed to do. Survey your circumstances. Accept the facts. Accept that you are assigned to cover the other doctors. When you are on vacation, someone is covering your patients, too. Acceptance is not the same as liking the situation. You are simply not focusing on the situation “should have” or “could have” been a different way.

After you have accepted your reality, the next step is to explore the possibilities. By default, it is easy to be stuck with the idea that there is no way you can handle 3 people’s in-basket tasks, see your patients and go home at a decent hour. What if it is possible? What if you can find a way to make your day more manageable? Does that sound hopeful? Be open to other possible outcomes. Instead of believing “there is no way”, be curious about “how can I”.

Be kind to yourself. Focus on the gentle, loving and powerful way to talk to yourself. You are capable. It is okay not to be perfect. It is okay not to be superman. You can do hard things. You are going to do the best that you can offer, given the resources and the time. The day will end and your colleagues will return.

Set your goal – what do you plan to accomplish? Decide on how much of the work you want to complete in a timeframe you set to cover your colleagues, without compromising patient care.

All these are to prepare you to face the day by taking action. Use your focus and concentration to see the scheduled patients. Minimize distractions. Plan your day to have several time blocks to review the in-baskets. Keep your goal in mind throughout the day.

Promote collaboration. Teamwork achieves more than what one person can do alone. Delegate the tasks as much as you can. Communication is key. Ask for help. When you have a good ethic and you ask for help nicely, most people will come to your aid.  While you are covering your colleagues’ in-baskets, investigate to see what can be improved. Are there messages which should not even have come to you? Is there any redundancy? Is there any gap in communication? Did the doctor(s) sign out to you before they go away? What are some ways you can improve the work flow?

It is a constant work in progress. The workplace, the communication and the collaboration are always in the construction zone. There is always room for improvement. The best is to find a win-win situation for everyone.