News: Physicians report significant increase in burnout

Physician burnout was a growing problem before the pandemic but has notably escalated since. In a recent research article, the percentage of physicians reporting at least one symptom of burnout rose from 38.2% in 2020 to 62.8% in 2021. Looking into this trend further, results from a new survey commissioned by Jackson Physician Search and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) show that burnout has continued to increase in 2022. Physician turnover has also increased, HealthLeaders reported.

For the survey, 354 physician practice administrators and 66 physicians participated. Gauging how much their burnout levels changed in the last year, 35% of physicians reported a significant increase, while 40% reported it had increased somewhat. The results showed that physicians were more likely than administrators to say the administration’s handling of their practices was the source of burnout, not the nature of the physician’s work. Both shared similar opinions on general physician engagement, rating it at 7.7 on a scale of one to 10. On the same scale, physician satisfaction with their employer was a 6.4.

For the second year in a row, the top desire for physicians at their practices to feel increased work satisfaction was two-way communication with management. About 51% reported considering leaving their practice for a different job in healthcare, while 41% considered leaving the practice of medicine entirely.

The co-authors of the study wrote, “Awareness alone will not prevent physicians from exiting the profession in the coming years; it will require empathy and organizational efforts to restore professional relationships that make high-quality care delivery a sustainable reality, producing healthier outcomes and margins in the process.”

They echoed the results found in the survey, saying, “Like most issues in medical practices across the country, physician stress and burnout can be tackled when positive, two-way communication between physicians and administrative leaders is in place to reach understandings around the significant challenges everyone faces within the organization.”

Editor’s note: To read HealthLeaders’ coverage of this story, click here. To access the MGMA report, click here.