Politely knocking outside the patient room, the office manager took a deep breath.
The tired but cheery face of a physician popped out. Before she could speak he stated, “I know, please let my next patient know I’ll be with them shortly.”
Can you relate to this all too common scenario?
Affecting the healthcare industry as a whole, physician burnout is a real problem in the United States.
And among those who are employed, blame for a broken system often falls on the doctors.
Beyond relaying ways to reduce this problem, I’ll show how you can grow your private practice in spite of it.
Let’s begin…
What Causes Physician Burnout?
Even if you don’t answer to a healthcare organization, there’s still lessons to be learned from your counterparts that do.
But before I address those, it’s important to look at some physician burnout statistics.
It costs health organizations $7,600 per employed physician annually. That number multiplies exponentially as system size increases.
Medscape recently conducted a survey of more than 12,000 doctors related to this issue. Here’s a few key findings.
- 47% of family medicine and 46% of internal medicine MD’s reported burnout in 2021 (overall 42%)
- Healthcare organizations (47%) top the list and office based solo practice & office based single specialty group (40%) experienced the lowest rate
Two top reasons are:
- Too many bureaucratic tasks
- Spending long hours at work
During stints with large healthcare systems, I saw these pressures play out daily. And in all transparency…I now realize I should have exhibited more grace towards them.
As a patient service representative, I was the first person to receive grief if a provider was running behind.
But my research revealed the hard position you and your peers are often placed in.
Why do employed doctors have a higher rate of attrition over single specialty and solo practices?
Former AMA President Barbara L. McAneny weighed in on one perk of private practice:
“We didn’t have to go through 27 hospital committees and ask permission from a bunch of vice presidents for various things. We just sat in a room. The group said, ‘Figure out how to do it. Let’s do it.’ And we did it. It is incredibly rewarding.”
Next, I’ll provide concrete ways to deal with these feelings before they hinder patient care.
How To Reduce Physician Burnout
Physician burnout solutions are beneficial to practices of all shapes and sizes.
NAM (National Academy of Medicine) passed along ways to reduce its effect:
- Rewarding work setting
- Embracing technology solutions
- Clinician support
To foster a positive environment; share practice highlights, awards, or patient stories both internally and externally.
EHR can sometimes make it difficult to pass information on to team members. But wait, shouldn’t technology make your life easier?
Healthcare content writing educates and informs staff through blogs and other web-based updates. Instead of a burden, here lies an asset.
Employed providers deal with a stigma around seeking help, which is exacerbated by their employers and licensure boards. And their self-employed peers?
Private practice doctors understand the need for encouragement and resources to be made available for their partners. The “support group” happens to be made up of those they spend the most time with, outside of their families.
From the earlier Medscape survey, what did those polled say could assist them?
- 42% said more manageable work schedules
- 30% said more reasonable patient loads
A point the survey missed was how digital transformation can decrease burnout. How?
By energizing the workforce, and modernizing patient connections!
Telemedicine has helped introduce your patients to virtual engagements. Follow this up with healthcare social media and blogs to provide more patient-centric experiences.
Healthcare content marketing:
- Innovates patient care
- Gives you more time with patients
- Helps improve efficiency
You got into the medical field because compassion is what drives you. Don’t let burnout steal your joy!
I’ve identified contributing factors and ideas for reducing clinical depression. As promised I’ll wrap up by communicating how to grow your practice, even with cases of burnout.
Elijah Wordsmith Curtailing Physician Burnout
Employed physicians are getting blamed for a broken system. Learn from your counterparts’ examples.
Attract potential patients through healthcare digital marketing by highlighting your personable care “sprinkled with a human touch.”
Why not also offer these frayed doctors less stress, higher job satisfaction, and more time with their families by becoming a partner?
After all…more patients with higher satisfaction increases the revenue of your practice, allows you to hire partners, and scale sooner.
My freelance writing business is backed by almost 13 years of industry experience between healthcare and digital marketing. Combining the two allows each original blog or social media post to resonate with your target audience.
Content writing “verbalizes” the more individualized care current and prospective patients receive from your practice.
With access to modern technology and customer service sharpened while working in busy medical offices, I bring a personable approach to growing your online presence.
Take the first step towards standing out online and schedule a discovery call today!