Strategies to combat burnout and promote physician well-being
As physician burnout continues to be a major issue in the healthcare industry, many hospitals are taking steps to encourage wellness among their physicians. Such programs are a worthwhile enterprise, as a single physician turnover is estimated to cost a hospital anywhere between $250,000 and $500,000. Cleveland Clinic, however, is decreasing turnover through a new internally-staffed wellness program with features designed to keep physicians from burning out. These include:
-
Well-being Day
Well-being Day consists of a day in which physicians are encouraged to take time off from work and focus instead on their individual wellness and on engaging in self-care. This day also serves to emphasize the care that the hospital has for the well-being of its physicians.
-
Coaching and mentoring program
This mentoring program has been in place for nine years but has undergone improvements in the past three, resulting in the creation of advanced peer coaches who assist fellow coworkers with career development and goals. Both coaches and participants have reported higher levels of satisfaction because of their involvement in the program.
-
Improved electronic medical records (EMR)
Improvements to the EMR system now allow other staff members to partake in routine tasks that are normally delegated to physicians. This allows physicians to spend more time with patients and less time writing standard prescriptions, for example.
Source: HealthLeaders Media