Rethinking administrative burden: A strategic imperative for health system leaders

In today’s healthcare landscape, administrative burden is more than a clinician inconvenience—it’s a strategic challenge. From documentation and EHR navigation to compliance and patient communication, the growing weight of non-clinical tasks is straining care teams and threatening both quality and sustainability.

Health system leaders are caught in a balancing act: reduce costs without compromising care. But short-term savings through fragmented or underpowered solutions often backfire—leading to clinician burnout, inconsistent care, and higher long-term costs.

So how can organizations reduce administrative burden while advancing clinical and financial goals?

From cost-cutting to value-building: A shift in perspective

Forward-thinking health systems are moving beyond reactive cost-cutting. They’re investing in integrated, evidence-based solutions that streamline workflows, align care teams, and support better decision-making across the enterprise.

As Dr. David Fleece, CMIO at Temple University, puts it:

“UpToDate behaves like a consultant, not like an encyclopedia. You’re asynchronously consulting with the experts who wrote the article.”

Building a resilient, evidence-based future

Healthcare is evolving rapidly. Staffing shortages, rising costs, and increasing complexity demand solutions that are not only effective but sustainable. That means:

• Standardizing care decisions with expert-curated, evidence-based content
• Empowering patients with aligned education and engagement tools
• Supporting clinicians with trusted, integrated resources that reduce cognitive load

As Tracy Samson, RN, CEN, MSN, PhD, of St. Luke’s University Health Network shared:

“Before implementing UpToDate Enterprise Suite, our teams were struggling with fragmented workflows and disconnected systems. It was clear we needed a unified approach to improve both clinical efficiency and operational cohesion.”