Bureaucracy To Blame For Physician Burnout?

By Katie Wike, contributing writer

According to a recent survey, MU and the tedious work that accompanies utilizing EHRs could be to blame for rising rates of burned out physicians.

Sixty-seven percent of physicians report knowing a doctor who will likely stop practicing in the next five years. According to Geneia, which conducted the survey, this corresponds to the number of physicians who are dissatisfied with their jobs. Only 25 percent of respondents reported that they were “very satisfied with the work itself.”

Just over half of doctors reported they had considered another career outside clinical practice. For younger doctors who have been practicing for less than 10 years, 62 percent said they have considered other career choices. The nationwide Physician Misery Index is 3.7 out of 5.

“We found that most physicians still love medicine, but increasingly are frustrated by the business of medicine. For most physicians, the ability to create meaningful relationships with their patients and truly impact health outcomes is why they entered the practice of medicine in the first place, and is critical to experiencing joy in their work. Yet 84 percent of respondents believe that quality patient time may be a thing of the past,” said Heather Lavoie, Geneia's Chief Operating Officer in a news release.

EHR Intelligence notes physicians reported feeling overwhelmed by paperwork and regulations. Eighty-seven percent felt federal regulations in the medical field are impacting “the practice of medicine for the worse.”

Geneia will be hosting a web-based event called the Geneia Joy of Medicine Challenge, which will invite physicians to share their ideas about the best ways to restore the meaning of practicing medicine.

“Today's physician is juggling increasing demands, and the level of stress and burnout is escalating,” said Dr. Jennifer Joe, CEO of Medstro. “It's high time we involve physicians in creating solutions to restore their joy in practicing medicine.”