More than half of docs report at least one symptom of burnout; efforts being undertaken to address burnout
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Physician burnout is the top issue for physicians in 2015, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
The prevalence of burnout has increased among physicians, with 54.4 percent reporting at least one symptom of burnout in a recent study. To minimize risk or prevent burnout, solutions include methods for improving resilience in a demanding practice environment and reducing risk factors, such as improving work flow through team documentation, expanded rooming and discharge protocols, pre-visit planning, and synchronized prescription renewal. Ways to address trainee burnout include implementation of changes by medical educators to prevent burnout, focusing on avoiding student distress in medical school. In addition, a consortium of medical schools is implementing changes to prepare students to thrive in the current practice environment.
Furthermore, organizations are making efforts to help address burnout across the physician community. These efforts include AMA policy that ensures physicians in training have access to mental health services; Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education solutions for resident wellness that can be implemented in training; and AMA modules to offer physicians proven solutions for their lives and practices.
“Clearly, burnout has become a widespread problem for the medical profession,” according to the report. “But it doesn’t have to be every physician’s fate.”
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