Newsflash: Doctors' morale low

Given the current practice environment, is this any surprise?

Low reimbursement rates and loss of autonomy were the top two reasons for poor morale.
Bureaucratic red tape, patient overload, loss of respect and the medical liability environment were among the other reasons physicians cited.
Those work problems caused fatigue in 77% of physicians, emotional burnout in 67% and marital/family discord or depression in about one in three physician respondents.

Comments

Anonymous
Do you think this is any different from other professions? It would be interesting to find out.
Criminallopath
Of course not. It only effects physicians as they are the only group that performs meaningful work and has job related stress.
Anonymous
Nurses feel the same way. Imagine having to spend 12 hours with a patient that’s rude and is threatening to sue you every time you walk in their door to check on them. It’s enough to make you want to go home and never come back.
Anonymous
I can’t imagine a whinier profession than physician. Certainly not a wealthier whinier one.
Anonymous
This report really is not relevant to the lay public, especially the nonallopathic, non health-profession public. You have to walk the walk before you can talk the talk. That goes for everyone.
Anonymous
I have to say that after reading on this site for 2 YEARS, that doctors do whine more than any other profession I have ever seen.
You REALLY do think the world is unfair to you but not to anyone else. Who do you guys think you are to have such a attitude? Its always “Poor me” with you. You sound like a bunch of spoiled brats..
Anonymous
Anon. 1:04 all I can say is you DO have to “walk the walk before you can talk the talk.” I may have felt the same way as you until recently. I’m a second career nurse. Yes, every job has stress. I was in IT before nursing, so I’m familiar with stress. This stress is a different kind, not saying it’s worse but it takes a toll on a person nonetheless. I think it’s important that people can come here and vent. We’re all human. It feels demoralizing to work for 12 hours, not stop for lunch or breaks (my choice to answer the call light or the phone when I should be taking care of myself), and realize it’s still not enough. I’m being threatened with a lawsuit from a patient that I’ve had to care for for the past few days. I’ve been nothing but kind to him. I have done nothing wrong, yet this patient is still threatening me and the staff. Luckily I am not saddled with debt, and I CAN get out. I will have to decide if that’s what I need to do to maintain my health and sanity. If I have too many more days like the last few, then that’s what I’m going to have to do.
Anonymous
“I’m being threatened with a lawsuit from a patient that I’ve had to care for for the past few days. I’ve been nothing but kind to him. I have done nothing wrong, yet this patient is still threatening me and the staff.”
What I rarely see mentioned here is that it goes both ways. I was a patient who made a small, and under the circumstances perfectly legitimate, complaint to a hospital where I was treated. They reacted with fire and brimstone. Here I was, just trying to make them aware of an issue which could cause them problems if not corrected, and they responded with threatening letters, vague accusations, and termination of care privileges. I was absolutely floored by it. Whenever someone mentions a problem they encountered with their doctor and asks if I think they should write a letter, I practically beg them not to. It’s not worth it.
Anonymous
“I’m being threatened with a lawsuit from a patient that I’ve had to care for for the past few days. I’ve been nothing but kind to him. I have done nothing wrong, yet this patient is still threatening me and the staff. Luckily I am not saddled with debt, and I CAN get out. I will have to decide if that’s what I need to do to maintain my health and sanity. If I have too many more days like the last few, then that’s what I’m going to have to do.”
If you’re going to let every empty threat made by someone get to you to that degree, then perhaps this isn’t the career for you.
Gasman
It’s not all empty threats as the last anon wishes to believe.
I have a patient with an active suit naming me and several of my colleagues. The original complaint is an interesting read, stating (for inflammatory impact do doubt) that we are a bunch of raging idiots who wantonly disregarded all safeguards and destroyed his life. Yet Tyler H. is still a patient at my hospital, still seeks care from the very physicians against whom he has a suit. As part of our consent process every time I take care of him I mention that he has pending litigation and is free to choose another doc if he wishes.
This is just one of the odd stressors that is not often found outside of medicine. Relationships can be intensely personal and intensely strained.
Every group vents. Non-physicians sitting in on a physician kvetch don’t get it and think we’re whiny; but I imagine that any outsider sitting in on the gripe session of a group they do not know would easily characterize also as whiny.
Another anon (8:29pm) decided to bait with class by commenting “… a wealthier whinier one”. Cathartic speech for one is whining to another. I know of no information that supports income as a salve for job stress.
DrSteve
All I can say is, if you don’t like it – get out.
I did an I’m not looking back. I miss the patients sometimes but more in a social way than in a professional one.
It was a hard decision to leave primary care, but one I don’t regret.
Anonymous
You know what. The solution for doctors, at leasty PCPs – go to a fee for service model or cash only. That will solve all the whining we do. I’m making the switch as well speak.
Also, interesting, not only are doctors looking at this, patients seem to be asking for it as well. See the early post by KevinMD.
Anonymous
“If you’re going to let every empty threat made by someone get to you to that degree, then perhaps this isn’t the career for you.”
How do you expect it to not affect people when a patient is abusive and repeatedly making threats?
You’re right, it may not be the career for me.
will quit soon
“Doctors’ morale low”
Is this any real surprise? In my county alone, we had 85 docs but 11 of which have left or will leave in the space of about a year with more to follow. I quit my practice of 10 years to join the industry. Make about the same, but work only 40 hours per week instead of 100. My family loves me for it. Unfortunately, the patients have to travel further for medical care…
Signed, will quit soon (already have)

Newsflash: Doctors’ morale low

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