Experts Share Strategies for Addressing Physician Burnout

The next webinar of HealthLeaders' Winning Edge series will focus on physician burnout in depth.

On Nov. 18, HealthLeaders is convening a four-member panel of experts for a webinar focused on addressing physician burnout.

Physician burnout is a top concern for CMOs and other healthcare leaders across the country. Physician burnout has been linked to quality care problems such as medical errors and is a driver of physician turnover.

In 2024, 43.2% of physicians reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout, according to the American Medical Association. The AMA has found physician burnout rates have been falling since the coronavirus pandemic, with 48.2% of physicians reporting at least one symptom of burnout in 2023 and 53% of physicians reporting at least one symptom of burnout in 2022. 

Physician burnout spiked in the second year of the pandemic. In a 2021 survey of physicians conducted by the AMA, Mayo Clinic, Stanford University School of Medicine, and the University of Colorado School of Medicine, 62.8% of physicians reported experiencing burnout symptoms.

There are three main symptoms of physician burnout, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Exhaustion is characterized by low physical and emotional energy levels. Depersonalization includes sarcasm and cynicism about patients and jobs. Lack of efficacy features doubt about the meaning and quality of providing care.

At health systems, hospitals, and medical groups, there are two primary strategies for addressing physician burnout: solutions targeting individual physicians such as boosting resilience and solutions targeting system-level interventions such as making electronic health records easier for physicians to use.

This week's HealthLeaders webinar on physician burnout features experts from across the county:

• Jim Gilligan, vice president, health system and group engagement, American Medical Association
   
• Nigel Girgrah, MD, PhD, chief wellness officer, Ochsner Health
   
• Christopher Pomrink, DO, MBA, vice president of medical affairs, Virtua Health
   
• Sapna Singh, MD, CMO and medical director of physician wellness, Texas Children’s Pediatrics

The one-hour Winning Edge webinar, which will be held on Nov. 18 beginning at 1 p.m. ET, will focus on a range of topics, including the following:

• How can healthcare organizations remove the stigma associated with mental health from physicians?
   
• What are the primary elements of a wellness program or committee for physicians?
   
• What are the primary elements of a wellness survey to gauge physician well-being? How can a wellness survey drive physician burnout interventions?
   
• How can healthcare organizations promote a culture of well-being for physicians?
   
• What are the primary approaches to enhancing ease of practice for physicians?
   
• How can healthcare organizations support the mental health needs of physicians?

To attend the webinar, register at this link. The webinar is sponsored by the American Medical Association.