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Professional dissatisfaction among physicians is at an all-time high, with satisfaction rates steadily and steeply declining in recent years. Interestingly, dissatisfaction levels among other working adults and professionals in the US have seen only minimal changes.
A 2015 comprehensive study of physician satisfaction and perceived quality of life revealed that only 41% of physicians are satisfied with their work-life balance. Comparatively, 48% had reported satisfaction only three years earlier.
Dr. Christine Sinsky, a representative of the American Medical Association (AMA), co-authored the study and indicated that the causes of physician unhappiness are well known. Sinksy noted that physicians today face an unprecedented number of administrative tasks and documentation because of the demands imposed by electronic health records. Further, physicians feel pressure to relinquish elements of control over their practices to third-party payors and government regulators. She said, “It’s a cumulative effect of well-intended efforts adding up to a burden of work that no one anticipated…Physicians feel they’re spending their days doing the wrong work, and that leads to burnout.”
Beyond the demands related to EHRs, many physicians spend an exorbitant amount of time each week on various other uncompensated tasks. A survey found that internists spend between 12 and 17 hours per week on uncompensated tasks, and that physicians in general spend 21% of their time on non-clinical paperwork. Unsurprisingly, this time inevitably overflows into physicians’ private lives as they use personal time to tackle piling tasks that are necessary to maintain an efficient workday.
According to Dr. Joseph Valenti, a board member of the Physicians Foundation (a non-profit physician advocacy group), a variety of factors have made physicians less efficient and less profitable than ever. In addition to the amount of physician time dedicated to uncompensated tasks, there are rising costs associated with the need for additional medical assistants, nurses and administrative employees necessary to complete all the required work. Valenti says that this lack of efficiency equates to at least $50,000 of lost revenue per physician annually. Just four years ago, this figure was estimated at $25,000.
As physicians spend less and less time with their patients and more time than ever on the computer, the heightened level of physician burnout is not terribly surprising. After all, physicians go to medical school and rigorous years of training for a reason – to serve and heal patients, not to spend entire days checking boxes and filling out forms on a computer. While there is little anyone can do to combat the myriad factors creating this burnout-inducing atmosphere, there are some things that physicians can do to battle the burnout. Experts say that the most effective thing physicians can do is to create a game plan that focuses on the art of delegation. For many docs, this means hiring staff who are singularly devoted to particular administrative duties, such as obtaining prior authorizations. While there are certainly associated costs, not limited to these individuals’ salaries, experts say that the benefits achieved likely outweigh the costs. With the administrative work in the hands of appropriate staff members, physicians can refocus their time and attention in a way to create more satisfying and fulfilling workdays.
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