Five Solutions to Physician Burnout

Both on an individual and organizational level, Physician Burnout can be addressed by assisting doctors in learning stress management techniques and by looking for ways to address the causes of staff burnout. According to the American Association for Physician Leadership, a combination of individual and organizational initiatives is typically used in the most successful techniques for lowering burnout rates.

1. Spend money on leadership training

Physician stress levels, work satisfaction, and burnout are directly impacted by the effectiveness of leadership within an organization. According to Mayo Clinic research, a one-point rise in a physician's direct supervisor's leadership score is linked to a 3.3 percent drop in burnout risk and a 9 percent rise in job satisfaction. Organizations must employ leaders who will engage, listen to, grow, and lead physicians if they are to realize these benefits. In order to assign doctors to patients and jobs where they would find the most job satisfaction, leaders need also be able to recognize the motivating aspects for their team members.

2. Provide flexible work schedules

Long work hours are one of the main causes of physician burnout, and while many organizations may believe the solution is to give doctors fewer shifts, this approach may really be counterproductive. The American Medical Association observes that when doctors have limited hours, they frequently feel under pressure to finish their usual workload in less time. Instead, employers might wish to think about scheduling policies that are more lenient. A time-banking system, for instance, is becoming more and more common in hospitals. It rewards staff with "credits" when they go beyond their regular shifts, such as to cover for a colleague or work extra. After that, these credits can be used to purchase incentives like meal delivery services, dry cleaning, or other perks that promote a healthy work-life balance.

3. Reduce the burden of technology

Organizations may seek to get physician opinion regarding technologies like electronic medical records in order to better understand how administrative work and cumbersome technology contribute to physician burnout (EMRs). The American Association for Physician Leadership reports that doctors frequently believe that the increased documentation demanded by EMRs results in less face-to-face time with patients. Many healthcare professionals also express frustration at having to learn and relearn these complicated systems. According to Philip Kroth, MD, director of Biomedical Informatics Research at the University of New Mexico, "We went to school to see patients, but now, for every minute we have with a patient, we are spending two additional minutes on the computer." Kroth made this statement to EHR Intelligence. "It frequently requires a 60-hour work week just to maintain documentation, and that is difficult on personal relationships and families." More thorough training, an improved EMR system, or even hiring scribes to take over charting are all potential solutions to reduce the stress brought on by technology.

4. Offer Individual Intervention Tools

While there are a number of organizational measures that may be taken to lessen physician burnout, people should also be urged to prioritize their health and learn appropriate coping mechanisms for stress. This could come in the form of team meetings where mental health is discussed, self-care education, or peer support programs. For maximum success, these programs should only be used as a supplement to organization-level interventions rather than serving as the main means by which organizations attempt to manage burnout.

5. Reduce Non-Clinical Activities' Burden

Increased care coordination is now required as a result of value-based payment schemes. The non-clinical effort involved in care coordination frequently increases the burden on the clinical team. The clinical team can concentrate completely on clinical care by using non-clinical workers to coordinate treatment, connect patients with community resources, and generally satisfy the non-clinical outreach criteria of value-based care.