Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Breaking the burnout: How health care leaders can support physician well-being

Jennifer Shaer, MD
Physician
February 1, 2023
18 Shares
Share
Tweet
Share

Recently I was scrolling through posts from a physician leadership Facebook group. I came upon one that caught my eye. It said something like, “Does anyone have information I can share with my radiologists to show them the impact of working through lunch?”

I was happy to see a post that focused on physician well-being. A leader who cares enough and wants her physicians to take a break. And then it occurred to me. Maybe there is a better question this leader could be asking. Maybe the deeper question is, “Why do my doctors feel they don’t have time to eat lunch?” Most people know that a lunch break is a good idea. But when you feel like your house is on fire, it’s hard to stop for nourishment.

It’s inspiring to see the increasing focus on well-being in health care. But what’s the best approach? Sometimes I think of us as frogs in the proverbial pot of water that is slowly heating up. What are our options? We either jump out of the pot, develop thicker skin to manage the heat, or lower the heat. This analogy doesn’t exactly hold up because I think the goal of the pot is to make the frog into a soup, and in that case, as frog advocates we would encourage the frog to hop out. Our mission in health care is too important to abandon the pot. But how do we achieve it without killing ourselves? If we all jump out, the consequences are massive. The recent nurse’s strike in NYC was an example of that. I don’t know the details of the strike, but the nurses were essentially demanding the flame be turned down before they hopped back in the pot.

What we need is a two-pronged approach to supporting well-being in health care.

1. To health care leaders: Make well-being a priority.   In 2022, the Surgeon General gave an advisory addressing health worker burnout.   The report calls for systemic change and calls on health care organizations, insurers, government, tech companies, and accreditation boards to remove administrative burdens and barriers with the goal of supporting all health care workers.

Put this report into action. You cannot squeeze your physicians any harder. We are used to pushing ourselves hard, but soon we will break. It’s time for every organization to take wellness seriously. Hire a chief wellness officer and adopt the quadruple aim. Ensure that the well-being of your clinicians and other employees is equally important to that of quality, data, and operations in your company’s success. Your doctors are mission-driven and will work more efficiently when you put systems in place that support us instead of bogging us down. Remove our obstacles and see what we can do for you. In reality, thriving physicians lead to a thriving company with improved retention and patient outcomes.

2. To the physicians: Don’t lose hope. Advocate for yourself and protect yourself. Physicians sometimes criticize the focus on self-care and point to the system as the only problem. Fix the system, and we’ll all be just fine. I’ve heard the argument that focusing on self-care is like taking Tylenol when someone hits you with a hammer. If you could stop the pounding,  you wouldn’t need Tylenol.   That may be true. However, whether or not meaningful change is coming is not really in our day-to-day control. As physicians, we should absolutely demand and fight for the changes that are needed in health care, but the wheels of change move slowly. So since we can’t fully move out of the way of the hammer pounding on our heads right now, I recommend putting on a helmet so you can continue to work while the wheels of change slowly lessen the pounding we are receiving. That helmet includes a set of skills that will be useful in all aspects of life  (practice mindfulness,  build resilience, focus on purpose and power, set boundaries, and take lunch!). If you want to continue practicing medicine in this environment,  develop these skills. They will help improve your well-being.   But don’t be afraid to get out if things become too much for you. Making a change is not a failure on your part. It is brave. There is no shame in doing what is best for you.

The optimist in me believes that we are progressing on both of these fronts. We have a long way to go, but our mission in health care is too great for us to give up.

Jennifer Shaer is a pediatrician and chief wellness officer, Allied Physicians Group, and a certified executive and life coach. She is founder, Shaer Coaching, and can be reached on Facebook. She is available for one-on-one coaching and speaking engagements: Feel free to schedule a conversation with Dr. Shaer or reach out by email.

Prev

Cream Puff Days: Coping with grief and finding comfort

February 1, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

The short-term rental tax loophole: a game-changer for physicians

February 1, 2023 Kevin 0
…

Tagged as: Hospital-Based Medicine, Practice Management

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Cream Puff Days: Coping with grief and finding comfort
Next Post >
The short-term rental tax loophole: a game-changer for physicians

More by Jennifer Shaer, MD

  • Navigating patient requests: Balancing care and communication

    Jennifer Shaer, MD
  • 5 tips for ending office visits on time

    Jennifer Shaer, MD
  • Effective delegation: the key to unlocking more time and less stress in your busy life

    Jennifer Shaer, MD

Related Posts

  • How social media can help or hurt your health care career

    Health eCareers
  • Health care needs more physician CEOs

    Alexi Nazem, MD
  • Emotional support animals for health care providers

    Brittany Ladson
  • The health care system will cause its own physician shortage

    Advait Suvarnakar and Aashka Suvarnakar
  • The triad of health care: patient, nurse, physician

    Michele Luckenbaugh
  • How non-physician practitioners are pawns of large health care organizations

    Tom Belanger, MD

More in Physician

  • The shifting landscape of gastroenterology manpower and compensation

    Brian Hudes, MD
  • Surgical procedures for inpatients: Addressing socioeconomic urgencies

    Deepak Gupta, MD
  • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

    Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD
  • A message of hope for physicians

    Kim Downey, PT
  • From aversion to office politics to embracing independence

    Osmund Agbo, MD
  • Navigating medical decision-making: Embracing limits and growth

    Benjamin Wade Frush, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Ethical considerations in medicine: unity and open discourse

      Andrew Zywiec, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • For newer doctors, avoid lifestyle inflation

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Chronic health issues and homelessness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
    • 1 in 4 attempt suicide: the persecution of autistic physicians

      Patricia Celan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

      Kathleen Watt | Conditions
    • AI is living up to its promise as a tool for radiology

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Tech
    • The shifting landscape of gastroenterology manpower and compensation

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • I’m tired of being a distracted doctor

      Shiv Rao, MD | Tech
    • Diverse paths to financial freedom for doctors [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

CME Spotlights

From MedPage Today

Latest News

  • Loneliness Needs to Be Treated Like Any Other Health Condition, Researcher Suggests
  • 'Con Man' Gets Another Top Hospital Job, This Time at Penn Medicine
  • TikTok Dinged for Misinformation; BRCA Risk Overestimated; Cheers for Oncology
  • Flawed Rules in No Surprises Act Hurt Doctors and Patients, Experts Say
  • IG Live September 25: When the Healers Need Healing

Meeting Coverage

  • Loneliness Needs to Be Treated Like Any Other Health Condition, Researcher Suggests
  • Stopping Medical Misinformation Requires Early Detection
  • AI Has an Image Problem in Healthcare, Expert Says
  • Want Better Health Outcomes? Check Out What Other Countries Do
  • ERS Roundup: Cell Transplant Boosts Lung Function in COPD Patients
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Ethical considerations in medicine: unity and open discourse

      Andrew Zywiec, MD | Physician
    • Unveiling excessive medical billing and greed

      Amol Saxena, DPM, MPH | Policy
    • I’m a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

      Bayo Curry-Winchell, MD | Physician
    • For newer doctors, avoid lifestyle inflation

      Amarish Dave, DO | Finance
    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Chronic health issues and homelessness

      Michele Luckenbaugh | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Medical gaslighting: a growing challenge in today’s medical landscape

      Tami Burdick | Conditions
    • Balancing opioid medication in chronic pain

      L. Joseph Parker, MD | Conditions
    • I want to be a doctor who can provide care for women: What states must I rule out for my medical education?

      Nandini Erodula | Education
    • Navigating the broken medical system: challenges faced by foreign medical graduates

      Anonymous | Physician
    • The essence of medicine: genuine connections in practice

      Jennifer Tillman, MD | Physician
    • 1 in 4 attempt suicide: the persecution of autistic physicians

      Patricia Celan, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • Is emergency medicine your calling? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Exploring disfigurement and self-worth

      Kathleen Watt | Conditions
    • AI is living up to its promise as a tool for radiology

      Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian | Tech
    • The shifting landscape of gastroenterology manpower and compensation

      Brian Hudes, MD | Physician
    • I’m tired of being a distracted doctor

      Shiv Rao, MD | Tech
    • Diverse paths to financial freedom for doctors [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Breaking the burnout: How health care leaders can support physician well-being
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...