Linzer pointed to the AMA’s Preventing Physician Burnout module, which provides steps to prevent burnout, a survey to assist in assessing burnout and examples of successful burnout-prevention programs.
At Linzer’s own medical center, the AMA module highlights scheduling changes to allow doctors, who are also parents, to leave on time, and environmental changes—like new carpets and art—as success stories.
“It’s gratifying to see people start picking up on the idea that burnout can be measured and addressed and changes can be made that are not exorbitantly expensive,” he says. “The payoff can be quite rapid.”
In the case of installing new carpets and artwork in the general internal medicine department at his medical center, the AMA module shows satisfaction in the department increased from 65% in 2013 to 83% a year later. Burnout was also cut by more than half over the same time period.
Linzer also said his research shows that healthcare systems with higher burnout rates provide less quality care to their patients.
He tells Reuters Health that patients can help address doctor burnout by encouraging healthcare systems to assess their work environments. This can include measuring time pressures, chaos, lack of control and alignment of values between doctors and leaders.
“Although not the focus of this study, we’ve shown in several other studies that burnout in physicians increases the risk of medical errors and increases the risk that physicians will cut their clinical work hours,” Shanafelt says.
He says some systems have made initial progress by providing doctors with assistants and lightening the load of clerical tasks.
“I think we have some innovative centers at the vanguard, but I think the saturation of how that’s being pursued is limited,” he says.
Reference
- Shanafelt TD, Hasan O, Dyrbye LN, et al. Changes in burnout and satisfaction with work-life balance in physicians and the general U.S. working population between 2011 and 2014. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2015 Dec;90(12):1,600–1,613
