Physician Burnout FAQs
Physicians have one of the most respected professions, not only in the United States but around the world. They have even taken an oath to solidify their commitment to helping people feel better when they’re sick, offering advice on preventing illness, providing recommendations for treating acute and chronic diseases and much more.
Not surprisingly, this heavy load of responsibility leads to burnout for a high number of physicians. Many doctors in the U.S. report burnout at rates two times greater than non-physician working adults. Studies show that, compared to other professionals, doctors disproportionately struggle with work-life balance and report symptoms of burnout and even severe emotional exhaustion.
With many factors working against the healthcare industry, it will take a team approach between individual physicians, healthcare organizations and technology solutions to make a notable impact on reducing physician stress and burnout. From identifying the problem to implementing solutions, a balanced ecosystem of all three parties working together will be necessary to advance measurable change. Read more about physician burnout.
According to the Medscape National Physician Burnout & Suicide Report 2020, the medical specialties in which the highest number of doctors disclosed symptoms of burnout include: Urology, Neurology, Nephrology, Diabetes and endocrinology, Family Medicine and Radiology. Read more about physician burnout.
Yes, it’s all too real. The American Medical Association defines physician burnout as long‑term stress reaction by depersonalization. A study surveying more than 3,700 physicians in nearly every specialty, work setting and region of the U.S. found that more than half of respondents reported that their workload had impacted their mental health. Read more about physician burnout.
Emergency department nurses have the greatest rate of burnout, followed by ICU nurses. Read more about nurse and physician burnout.
Nurse burnout, defined as a chronic response to work-related stress composed of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment, costs the U.S. healthcare system $14 billion annually, which includes $9 billion for hospitals alone. Read more about nurse and physician burnout.
Here are some key symptoms and indicators that are signs of burnout within your physicians: increased turnover rates, poor job performance, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of efficacy, anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation/disturbance and substance abuse. Read more about physician burnout.
Nurse burnout often is due to understaffed hospitals, fatigue, lack of teamwork, a chronic lack of sleep and feelings of being constantly overworked but unappreciated. Read more about nurse and physician burnout.
The causes of physician burnout range from the practice of clinical medicine, poor work-life balance, burdened administrative tasks and inefficient technology. Read more about physician burnout.
Burnout feels different for every person and every generation. Individualizing burnout within your physicians is the key to sucess with mitigating the effects of burnout. Genreally speaking, burnout can feel like hopelessness, frustration and exhaustion. Read more about physician burnout.
Physician burnout can look different for every person and every generation. However, here are some key symptoms and indicators that are signs of burnout within your physicians: increased turnover rates, poor job performance, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lack of efficacy, anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation/disturbance and substance abuse. Read more about physician burnout.
Technology solutions, such as Epion Health, are innovating to make a notable impact on reducing physician stress and burnout through ease-of-use and efficiency. Read more about Epion Health’s platform.
More than 15 percent of all nurses have reported feelings of burnout. Read more about nurse and physician burnout.
If you’re a nurse experiencing burnout, attempt to practice self-care, maintain a regular exercise routine, eat a well-balanced diet, use paid time-off and vacation, foster strong co-worker relationships and regulate your shift schedule as much as possible to include work days of no longer than nine hours. Take advantage of any mental health services your employer offers, and don’t hesitate to seek outside professional help. Read more about nurse and physician burnout.
Being a physician is a demanding job. It consists of long hours, high stress and very little room for error. No matter the specialty, even the most experienced doctors are encumbered with the pressure of numerous responsibilities that affect their patients’ physical and mental well-being. From attempting to negotiate a work-life balance and dealing with sometimes unsatisfactory leadership to handling an assortment of administrative tasks, these respected professionals face a wide array of issues that often contribute to physician burnout. Read more about physician burnout.