Healthcare providers provide quality care to patients, but who is responsible for their well-being? Our health heavily depends on the mental and physical well-being of healthcare providers. Unfortunately, stressful work environments often drive many healthcare workers, including physicians, into early retirement. The common reason quoted is BURNOUT.
According to Medscape’s latest report on physicians’ burnout and depression, 49% of the 9,200 surveyed doctors are currently experiencing burnout. However, this marks a slight improvement from last year, when 53% of the physicians were dealing with work-life stress.
Nonetheless, it is important to address this prevailing issue to improve the quality of patient care. To do that, let’s explore the common reasons for burnout among physicians and the appropriate solutions to mitigate it.
What is Physician Burnout?
Physician burnout refers to the emotional or physical exhaustion experienced by doctors due to a long-term stressful work environment.
Many physicians quickly become overwhelmed with their long working hours, administrative tasks, and the fast-paced and emotionally demanding nature of their jobs. And if there isn’t any proper support system, they can easily become stressed and depressed.
Physician burnout is a serious problem. It impacts the quality of patient care and risks patient safety. For example, overworked physicians are more likely to make medical errors, leading to lower patient satisfaction and eventual loss of business.
So, what are the common causes of burnout among healthcare professionals?
Common Causes of Physician Burnout
Statistically, physician burnout has decreased from last year, but it is still a major concern. Around 83% of the doctors surveyed in Medscape’s report have specified workplace stress as the main reason for burnout. The other common factors listed in the report include:
Overwhelming Amount of Bureaucratic Tasks
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), administrative burdens are the main reason for physicians’ burnout. Around 62% of doctors in Medscape’s latest report also list it as the top cause of their burnout.
While these bureaucratic tasks, like paperwork, charting, and more, are crucial for running a healthcare organization, they are time-consuming. They often prevent doctors from spending much time with their patients and families, increasing their stress.
Long Working Hours
This is another leading cause of physician burnout. Around 2 in 5 doctors (41%) in Medscape’s 2024 report highlighted the imbalance between their professional and personal lives.
Healthcare is a demanding profession, often requiring on-duty doctors to put in long working hours. As a result, they have little time to rest, leading to their physical and mental exhaustion. The Physician Compensation report for 2024 found that 59% of physicians are considering a career change due to this very reason.
Lack of Professional Respect
The third common cause for burnout among doctors is the disrespectful environment. Around 40% of surveyed doctors have cited that lack of respect from their colleagues, including administration staff, managers, or more, is a major source of stress. Excessive job demands and continuous rude behavior can easily lead to physician burnout.
Insufficient Compensation
Around 38% of physicians quoted lower compensation as one of the reasons for their mental exhaustion. A study found financial stress to be the main contributor to burnout. Most physicians are ready to take on more load if paid fairly for their services.
Lack of Freedom
Another main reason for physician burnout is the lack of freedom. Approximately 32% of doctors among 9,200 surveyed physicians felt stressed due to external controls. This lack of autonomy is a significant problem in large healthcare organizations, leading to discontent and burnt-out doctors.
The Use of Electronic Health Records (EHR)
The increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs) has placed a greater administrative burden on doctors. Most physicians spend 20.7% of their time solely on electronic health report (EHR) documentation. Therefore, 24% of doctors in Medscape’s reports have cited the use of EHR as one of the contributing factors to their burnout.
Disrespectful Behavior of Patients
Lack of respect from patients is also one of the main contributing factors in Medscape’s 2024 report on physician burnout and depression. Around 22% of doctors feel underappreciated in their jobs due to discriminatory and rude behavior of their patients.
Government Regulations
Regulatory requirements are another problem. Around 13% of doctors feel burnout due to many unnecessary government regulations hindering their daily operations.
Source: Medscape
Physician Burnout Signs and Symptoms
Prolonged stress is harmful to anyone. It is the primary reason for emotional and mental exhaustion among doctors. This long-term physician burnout is prevalent in the healthcare industry and negatively impacts almost all areas of medical care. Therefore, it is important to keep an eye on the well-being of doctors, including burnout symptoms.
Burnout is not a medical condition, and its signs can vary from person to person. Some of the common physician burnout symptoms include:
Emotional Exhaustion
Burnout is mentally exhausting. Hence, most doctors with a heightened sense of stress find it difficult to remain optimistic and are unable to cope with day-to-day activities. Emotional exhaustion should not be left unattended because it can lead to physical problems, including muscle aches or headaches.
Relationship Problems
Emotional exhaustion can also result in social withdrawal and a sense of detachment. In simple terms, burnout also negatively impacts the personal lives of doctors, leading to numerous relationship problems. It hinders their ability to connect with their loved ones.
American Medical Association’s article on the effects of physician burnout on their families highlights these negative impacts. According to them, most spouses experience less communication and intimacy due to their partners’ long working hours and emotional exhaustion. The issue is so significant that AMA’s survey of 58 spouses also found that 1 in 5 respondents was considering divorce.
Sense of Detachment
Physician burnout also leads to depersonalization, making it difficult to empathize with the patients. It creates a sense of detachment in doctors, making them withdrawn and frustrated with their patients and coworkers. At this stage, doctors develop a cynical attitude towards their patients, treating them as objects rather than people.
Low Productivity
Burnout also makes it hard for doctors to meet the daily demands. Burnt-out doctors often procrastinate feeling overwhelmed with their workload. Physician burnout usually results in poor outcomes and lowers the quality of patient care.
Low Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem is one of the major signs of burnout. Most doctors fall into a harsh cycle of self-criticism and begin to doubt the purpose of their work. This low self-esteem also affects the doctors’ sense of accomplishment, decreasing job satisfaction.
Solutions to Physician Burnout
It is crucial to reduce physicians’ burnout to maintain the quality of patient care. However, we can only devise appropriate solutions after identifying the accurate reasons for burnout among doctors. Based on Medscape’s latest report, here are some standard solutions to prevent and counter physician burnout.
Increase Compensation
Since low pay and high workloads lead to physician burnout, proper compensation might be a solution. Financial issues can drain anyone. According to Medscape’s latest report, 48% of the surveyed doctors chose higher salaries as the most effective solution to reducing burnout.
Outsource Medical Billing to Experts
Bureaucratic tasks consume a lot of time and energy. If you run a healthcare organization, hire administrative staff to support your doctors. Around 47% of surveyed doctors believe this to be the second most effective solution to reducing burnout.
You can also outsource some processes, like medical billing, to professional service providers to reduce the administrative burden. These services will also help you comply with the ever-changing government regulations.
Set Boundaries for Work-Life Balance
An appropriate work-life balance can reduce burnout. As a doctor, you should determine a boundary between work and personal life. Give some time to your hobbies and family. If you are an employer, offer flexible working hours to your doctors and make sure they get sufficient rest. Around 46% of Medscape’s respondents also say that flexible working schedules can reduce their burnout.
Create a Supportive Work Environment
A hostile work environment is a leading contributor to physician burnout. Social support can effectively reduce burnout. Therefore, you should foster a supportive environment by encouraging open communication and teamwork.
This, in turn, will create a collaborative culture by reducing feelings of isolation and depersonalization among doctors. Around 35% of surveyed physicians in Medscape’s 2024 report believe that respect from their employees and colleagues can help reduce their burnout.
Provide Professional Development Opportunities
Many therapists provide counseling for burnout and stress management. Your emotional well-being should be your priority. Instead of personally dealing with everything, seek professional help in case of severe burnout. Around 9% of Medscape’s respondents also feel that their employers should offer counseling sessions to deal with workplace stress.
Physician Burnout Statistics By Specialty
Medical specialties have varying burnout rates. Some physicians experience low burnout, while others deal with a lot of stress. Let’s look at the least and most stressful medical specialties based on Medscape’s 2024 report on physician burnout and depression.
Least Stressful Medical Specialties
According to recent studies, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, and psychiatry are some of the least stressful medical specialties. Their burnout rates are below 40% due to their low-risk nature and more predictable work hours. Here are the 12 least stressful medical specialties.
| Least Stressful Medical Specialties | Rates of Burnout |
|---|---|
| Plastic Surgery | 37% |
| Ophthalmology | 39% |
| Psychiatry | 39% |
| Pathology | 41% |
| Otolaryngology | 43% |
| Orthopedics | 44% |
| Neurology | 44% |
| Diabetes & Endocrinology | 44% |
| Surgery, general | 45% |
| Critical care | 45% |
| Dermatology | 46% |
| Physical medicine & rehabilitation | 46% |
Most Stressful Medical Specialties
On the other hand, emergency medicine, OB/GYN, and oncology are some of the most stressful medical specialties. Emergency medicine in particular has the highest burnout rate (over 60%) due to the challenging nature of the role. Emergency medical service providers are usually at the forefront of medical situations requiring fast-paced medical attention, where a single mistake can be fatal.
OB/GYNs and oncologists face similar challenges and pressure. Therefore, they also have high burnout rates. The following table lists the 12 most stressful medical specialties.
| Most Stressful Medical Specialties | Rates of Burnout |
|---|---|
| Emergency medicine | 63% |
| OB/GYN | 53% |
| Oncology | 53% |
| Pediatrics | 51% |
| Family medicine | 51% |
| Radiology | 51% |
| Pulmonary medicine | 50% |
| Anesthesiology | 50% |
| Gastroenterology | 50% |
| Internal medicine | 50% |
| Urology | 49% |
| Cardiology | 47% |
Bottom Line
Physician burnout is quite real! The long-term physical and emotional exhaustion reduces the efficiency and productivity of doctors. The most worrisome part is that physician burnout is often stigmatized by the general population and overlooked by healthcare organizations. It keeps many doctors from prioritizing their well-being.
Physicians don’t usually disclose the details of their mental health due to job security concerns, leading to greater problems. It is essential for healthcare organizations to reduce physician burnout and prevent absenteeism, reduced productivity, and high turnover. We hope that the common causes and symptoms of physician burnout highlighted here will help you proactively address this prevailing issue.
