Focus on Physicians:
Insights, Ideas, and Strategies
How Do You Know if You’re Burned Out?
It’s no surprise that nationwide, levels of burnout reached record highs during the pandemic. But now that we are back to a semblance of normal, the percentage of physicians experiencing burnout symptoms still hovers a little under 50 percent-- far above the “baseline” of 38 percent in 2020. In this article, you'll learn how to know if you are burned out. And we'll go over the costs of burnout in both dollars and patient care.
Burnout is not going away.
It’s no surprise that nationwide, levels of burnout reached record highs during the pandemic, impacting over 60 percent of physicians. But now that we are back to a semblance of normal, the percentage of physicians experiencing burnout symptoms hovers a little under 50 percent. That’s still far above the “baseline” of 38 percent in 2020.
Topping the list of burnout-inducing specialties are
💉Emergency Medicine,
💉Internal Medicine,
💉OB-GYN
💉Family Medicine
Although burnout has decreased in all of these groups, more than 50 percent of doctors surveyed in these specialties described classic symptoms of burnout.
While any improvement is good news, the fact that nearly one in two physicians across the board are suffering from burnout is nothing to celebrate.
Not only is burnout demoralizing, but it also contributes to job turnover and increased healthcare costs. Not surprisingly, a Mayo Clinic study found that burnout can raise the likelihood of medical errors. And a 2019 study reported a conservative yearly cost to the US healthcare system of $4.6 billion dollars.
So how do you know if you're burned out?
❓ A. Is it just a feeling?
❓ B. Is it something we can measure?
If you answered B, you're right. Burnout isn’t just a trending term. There are standardized tools to measure burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory is the granddaddy of burnout tools, and has been in use since 1981.
Burnout affects doctors of all ages and across all spectrums. It is not a personal failing, and it’s not a mental illness.
If you’re experiencing burnout, it’s important to understand that burnout is not your fault, and you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know:
✴ According to the World Health Organization and the ICD-11, burnout results "from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed."
✴ Symptoms of burnout include:
🚫 feelings of low energy or exhaustion
🚫 negative feelings or cynicism about your job
🚫 loss of motivation and a sense of detachment from work
✴ Burnout is not a mental health condition.
So how do you know if you’re burned out? If you're wondering if you've just hit a rough spot or if you're truly burned out, you could invest in the Maslach Inventory. Or you could save yourself a little time and money and take a simple Two-Minute Burnout Inventory created by Chris Bailey for Harvard Business Review.
If you're a physician living with burnout, you don't need to suffer in silence. There are ways to get through it, but you can't always get there on your own.
Systemic changes to our profession are critical, and there are signs that change is coming. But while we wait for the slow gears of progress, it's important that you take care of yourself now.
Your health, your loved ones, and your patients are counting on you. If you’re feeling burned out, consider coaching, either through your institution, or through a certified Physician Coach. Studies, including a randomized controlled trial published in 2024, have found coaching to be an effective strategy for reducing physician burnout.
There are no easy answers to the complex issues facing healthcare today, but getting clarity on your own needs and values will empower you to chart your own course.
An earlier version of this article was published in April 2023.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to stay in the loop for more insights on creating a sustainable, fulfilling, and happy life as a physician, sign up for my newsletter or reach out on my website. I’d love to hear from you.
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Navigating Burnout: My Podcast Appearance on KevinMD
Burnout is a symptom of a system that is not working for you. In many ways it’s a form of grief. It’s not your fault. But that doesn’t mean there’s no way out. In my interview with Kevin MD, I discussed the factors that contribute to burnout as well as some actionable steps you can take to improve your life as a physician and to combat the effects of today’s stressful environment.
If you’re a physician, or anyone active in healthcare today, you have probably heard of Dr. Kevin Pho and his KevinMD podcast and website.
Kevin posts interviews and articles daily, and I was thrilled to be a recent guest. In the episode, we discussed the burnout epidemic, and why it’s not the same as compassion fatigue.
Burnout is a symptom of a system that is not working for you. In many ways, it’s a form of grief. It’s not your fault. But that doesn’t mean there’s no way out. In the interview, I went over actionable steps you can take to improve your life as a physician and to combat the effects of today’s stressful environment.
What the Failure of the ER Match Says About the State of Health Care
Over 550 residency spots went unfilled by US med school grads in the residency match this month. Some centers had zero applicants match to their programs. Compare this to 2021, when only 14 ER residency spots were not filled.
The reasons? Just about any physician in the US can tell you.
And How Physician Coaches Can Change The Story
When I was in medical school, the cool, smart kids went into ER medicine. It was a hotly competitive residency, and there was no guarantee that you would match. Now things are entirely different. Over 550 residency spots went unfilled by US med school grads in the residency match this month. Some centers had zero applicants match to their programs. Compare this to 2021, when only 14 ER residency spots were not filled.
The reasons? Just about any physician in the US can tell you:
Disrespect fueled by social media personalities and irresponsible "news" outlets
Dangerous working conditions
Overloaded ERs being used as a source of primary care, often because people lack insurance or access
Corporatization of medicine with a focus on numbers of patients seen and metrics that often don't relate to patient care
Management of physicians by business people and those with less responsibility and training
Intrusive, redundant, and burdensome EHR requirements
Lack of adequate support staff
Some of my best friends are ER physicians. They are some of the hardest working people I know. These are the doctors who will save your life at 2 am, no matter who you are or whether or not you have insurance. And they are also the doctors that are tasked with waking up their colleagues at all hours of the night to request a consult or hospital admission. Most manage their work with grace, strength, and courage.
The steep decline in the desirability of ER residencies is a really scary trend. It’s easy to say that doctors can be replaced with mid-level care providers, but the truth is that the expertise, skill, responsibility and knowledge that an ER physician provides requires years of education, training, and commitment. Mid-levels can reduce some of the burden of less complex patients, but they are no substitute for a physician.
This sudden and shocking shift should be a call to action for hospital directors, ER directors, and the corporations and private equity firms who own and manage many of these practices.
As we wait to see how this recent revelation will impact the decisions and practices that affect ER physicians, it’s important that physicians take steps to stand up for ourselves and our profession. This is a new way of thinking about medical practice, but times have changed irrevocably. By learning how to work within the systems we now have, we can start to make important changes from the inside out. Ultimately, such changes will benefit not only physicians, but also their patients and indeed the very institutions and corporations that currently control our healthcare systems.
How can coaching help? Well clearly, coaching will not fix the problem. Coaching means working with one physician at a time, very much like patient care. But coaching will help you clarify your goals, identify your frustrations and obstacles, and give you the tools to create your way forward. Will that be
Negotiation, understanding your own value?
Creating a streamlined workflow that will allow you greater efficiency?
Acquiring new skills to make your time more effective?
Courage to make a lateral move to a new facility?
A switch to a different type of practice altogether?
A change in working hours?
Reframing conflicts so that you are able to create a more positive working environment?
Honing interpersonal skills?
Advocating for change in EHR management?
Regardless of your specialty, the healthcare world is shifting. The work you do matters. By recognizing your own worth and power, and by taking action that is beneficial to both you and your patients, you will be able to create a happier and more sustainable life.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to stay in the loop for more insights on creating a sustainable, fulfilling, and happy life as a physician, sign up for my newsletter or reach out on my website. I’d love to hear from you.