Physician burnout falls to lowest levels since pandemic

Burnout Costs the US Health System an Estimated $4.6 Billion Annually

(Healthcare Brew, Maia Anderson) — Physician burnout is on the decline after spiking to unprecedented levels during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a survey from professional group the American Medical Association (AMA).

The survey, which was released in early July, shows that 48.2% of physicians claimed to have at least one burnout symptom in 2023, down from 53% in 2022 and the record high of 62.8% in 2021. Before the pandemic, burnout had fallen from 44.4% in 2017 to 41.9% in 2019, according to an October 2023 study from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

“It is a good sign that burnout has started to decrease, but the levels are still far higher than they should be, and are still at a concerning rate that has important negative impacts for patients, for payers, for the health system at large, [and] for the country at large,” Christine Sinsky, VP of professional satisfaction at the AMA, told Healthcare Brew.

Sinsky said it’s likely that burnout is on the decline because some stressors that peaked during the pandemic are now less prevalent, such as the volume of patients in intensive care units. But “the underlying causes of burnout for the majority of physicians persist,” such as having to spend more time on clerical work than clinical care, she said.

Some background: Burnout is a pricey problem. It costs the US an estimated $4.6 billion per year, mainly from costs associated with turnover and fewer clinical hours, according to a 2019 study. For each doctor that quits due to burnout, the AMA estimates it costs a facility as much as $1 million depending on the doctor’s specialty.

Burnout has become so prevalent in recent years that the CDC started a federal campaign in late 2023 to help hospitals tackle the issue. The campaign, called Impact Wellbeing, is intended to help hospital leaders create policies that reduce worker burnout and help employees feel safe seeking mental health care.

According to the AMA, symptoms of burnout include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (which translates to low empathy or negative demeanor toward patients), and feeling decreased personal achievement.

By the numbers: In addition to a decline in burnout, the AMA’s survey shows an improvement in physicians’ work experience, with job satisfaction rising to 72.1% in 2023, up from 68% in 2022. Additionally, 50.7% of physicians said they felt a great deal of stress from their job in 2023, compared to 55.6% in 2022. And 50.4% of physicians said they felt their organization valued them, compared to 46.3% in 2022.

But more than one-quarter of those surveyed said their workplace didn’t employ enough physicians or support staff, with 12.7% feeling stress from administrative tasks.

The AMA’s survey included more than 12,400 doctors working at 81 health systems across 31 states, and was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2023.

How to improve burnout levels? Sinsky said she recommends healthcare organizations take a systemic approach to improving physician well-being rather than addressing it on an individual level.

“We make very clear to organizations that burnout, while it manifests in individuals, it originates in systems,” Sinsky said, adding that health system leaders have the power to improve their organization’s culture.

“It’s in practice efficiency where I think organizations can make the biggest difference,” she said.

NCMS and NCCPRW Offer Statewide Initiative Focused on Health Worker Mental Health and Well-being

The North Carolina Clinician and Physician Retention and Well-being (NCCPRW) Consortium has a new statewide initiative with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, the only non-profit organization exclusively focused on health worker mental health and well-being. ALL IN: Caring for North Carolina’s Caregivers seeks to support the state’s hospitals and health systems in redesigning their workplace environments to help team members feel valued and supported while creating the best environments to deliver safe, quality patient care.

Well-being will also be a focus at the

2024 LEAD Conference.

“Physician stress and burnout is a top priority for the North Carolina Medical Society,” NCMS VP of Professional Growth Monecia Thomas says, “our ALL IN: Caring for North Carolina’s Caregivers program tackles this issue head-on.  Join us to learn more on November 2 at the NCMS LEAD Conference.  It is a great way to have your voice heard.  Corey Feist, JD, MBA, will be on-hand to talk abut ways NCMS and NCCPRW are working to remove invasive or stigmatizing language surround mental health from credentialing applications, addendums, and peer review forms.” 

Registration for the 2024 LEAD Conference and Golden Stethoscope Awards Banquet is open.  The North Carolina Medical Society is celebrating 175 years!  Don’t miss this chance to make new friends, improve your practice, and have a great time!

REGISTER HERE