The Twofold Blow: The Ongoing Struggle of Physician Burnout amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Twofold Blow: The Ongoing Struggle of Physician Burnout amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every other healthcare news article was focused on another overwhelming health crisis: physician burnout. Burnout has not diminished but actually intensified since the pandemic.

Why is Physician Burnout Higher Than Ever?

Physicians with the highest percentage of burnout, such as critical care medicine, internal medicine, and emergency medicine [1] are now required to take on an extra burden. Due to the virus, the overall number of available physicians and healthcare workers is lower because of infection, quarantine, and even death. The worldwide shortages of personal protective gear and inadequate testing have increased their chances of contracting the virus, which compounds the stress they feel in their profession.

How Can We Help?

Healthcare Administrators need to take action on the underlying issue. According to the Forbes article, “Doctor, Health Thyself: Physician Burnout in The Wake of COVID-19,” Dr. Lipi Roy noted 6 strategies that may actually lower the wave of physician burnout and suicide: [2]

1) Reduce administrative burdens

Physicians have lost control over how their time is spent, from the time allotted for each patient, what is discussed during the visit, and how the visit itself is documented. Reducing the time spent on the EMR allows physicians to focus on their patient.

In fact, physicians can save 5 minutes or more per patient visit and increase their direct and indirect revenue. [3]

2) Provide flexible schedules

One of the major factors of burnout is long work hours. Assigning fewer shifts can be counterintuitive. Organizations may want to consider more flexible scheduling policies. (https://www.guidewaycare.com/reducing-physician-burnout-5-strategies/)

3) Mental health support

It is important for physicians to understand their burnout and for people to take it seriously. Physicians need to feel comfortable giving their feedback, thoughts, and suggestions — and receiving support when they feel burned out.

4) Reduce gender bias

According to the 2019 study in the National Academy of Medicine, women physicians are more likely than men physicians to experience depression, and women physicians are 2.27 times more likely to die by suicide compared to women nonphysicians. [4]

5) Diversify doctor voices

While Black Americans constitute 13% of the U.S. population, they make up only 4% of the 877,000+ active physician workforce. Black female doctors represent only 2% of physicians. [5]

6) Speak out

If you or a colleague is suffering, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org)

We need to focus on improving the ongoing burnout crisis, especially in the age of COVID. Let Scrivas help your physicians! Scrivas is locally owned and operated by physicians for physicians. We pride ourselves in giving top-quality scribe services to physicians in any specialty.

Scrivas has specialized workflows that will help our scribes continue to provide services in a safe and effective manner from centralized workstation services, local remote services, and in-tandem telehealth services during these unprecedented times.

Call us now to discuss your physicians’ needs! 786-554-0807

 

[1] https://www.ama-assn.org/residents-students/specialty-profiles/physician-burnout-it-s-not-you-it-s-your-medical-specialty

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/lipiroy/2020/05/17/doctor-heal-thyself-physician-burnout-in-the-wake-of-covid-19/#da34b02213cb

[3] https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/17-things-to-know-about-medical-scribes.html

[4] https://nam.edu/gender-based-differences-in-burnout-issues-faced-by-women-physicians/

[5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/lipiroy/2020/02/25/its-my-calling-to-change-the-statistics-why-we-need-more-black-female-physicians/#1e61e41056a5

 

Written By Nicole Bramblett, MHA