Problem-solving in healthcare is a vital part of your day-to-day job. Practicing and honing these abilities can help you become a better provider.
Understanding why these skills matter, what they look like in practice, and how to improve them is the first step to enhancing your work.
Importance of Clinical Problem-Solving Techniques
Developing problem-solving expertise benefits you, your fellow practitioners, and your patients. Improved techniques can help you thrive in ways like:
Patient outcomes
Make well-informed treatment decisions and provide proper patient education using problem-solving abilities.
Complex situations
Your skills can help you respond to rapidly changing information or patient needs, even during the unexpected.
Morals and ethics
Critical thinking helps you view a medical situation morally, which can help you make decisions that align with medical ethics.
Communication
Provide better care by clearly explaining patients’ diagnoses and treatment options. Critical thinking and problem-solving also enhance collaboration efforts with other staff members.
While this sounds ideal, what does good problem-solving and critical thinking in healthcare look like?
Examples of Medical Problem-Solving Skills in Healthcare
Using this expertise in your day-to-day practice can vary depending on your specialty, cases, and other factors. However, there are several ways you might see these skills pop up in your practice, such as:
Problem analysis
While there are many ways to solve issues, they all follow the same format—identification, analysis, ideation, and action. Analysis helps you find root causes and potential solutions.
Brainstorming sessions
Whether alone or in a group, think of as many solutions as possible and then decide which is the best.
Roleplaying
Either act out the situation with another person or by yourself. The goal is to see the issue from another perspective—likely the patient’s, though it could also be their caretaker or another professional. Think about their wants, feelings, or goals.
Feedback and discussions
When encountering a challenge, you may seek advice from other trusted professionals. Ask them to share proven or evidence-based solutions—and you can do the same for them in return.
When you participate in these activities, you use problem-solving or critical thinking skills. With continued practice, you can further enhance these abilities and achieve even better results.
How to Improve Problem-Solving Skills in Healthcare
Physicians should always aim to do better, which is what makes continuous development crucial. Now that you understand the importance of problem-solving, you can learn how to improve them.
Enhance your knowledge through:
Continuing medical education (CME)
Stay updated on the latest healthcare advances with high-quality CME. Conferences and workshops provide hands-on experience, while on-demand courses and journal articles are self-led.
Self-reflection
Set aside time each day or week to reflect on your cases, particularly those that were more challenging. Think about what went well, where you can improve, or other solutions you could try.
Collaboration
Seek advice about a particular situation or listen to fellow doctors describe their challenges and successes for new insights.
Exercises or discussions
Regular engagement with complex activities can also help you develop these skills. Your office may hold these events, or you can attend workshops or simulations.
You can become the doctor your patients trust by continually practicing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Strengthen Your Skills With CME
Take your problem-solving abilities in healthcare to the next level with CME. Whether you prefer in-person events, virtual webinars, or on-demand courses, these opportunities can help you stay informed and proactive.