Systemic issues in medicine are contributing to physician burnout and have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Physician burnout is “a mismatch between the demands of clinical work and the available resources,” according to Tina Shah, MD, a senior advisor to US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD. Symptoms of burnout include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a low sense of accomplishment.
Dr. Shah admitted to experiencing sporadic symptoms of burnout over the years but noted that treating patients with COVID-19 has been the most harrowing aspect of her career. She cited sobering instances in which she and fellow physicians had mere seconds between one patient dying and having to treat another.
Though burnout rates have spiked during the pandemic, Dr. Shah argued that it is more often a result of systemic workplace factors. A drive toward perfectionism among physicians can lead them to ignore the signs of physical and mental exhaustion, even when burnout is imminent. Sexism and racism also often factor into burnout, as many female and minority physicians feel an added pressure to succeed. Dr. Shah listed the current design of electronic medical records and the administrative preoccupation with billing over clinical work as added stressors.
Dr. Shah noted the contagiousness of burnout, which can spread from one physician to the entire team. To help mitigate this issue on an organizational level, groups like ChristianaCare in Delaware have instituted programs to help recognize the efforts of individuals and to establish peer support groups. Dr. Shah noted that retaining a psychologist on staff dedicated to helping health care workers could be helpful, but the persistent stigma around physicians seeking therapy makes this option less promising.
Source: Medscape, December 13, 2021.