Study Suggests Burnout Among Doctors Is Becoming A Public Health Concern

Wear the White Coat 2018” by Greater Louisville Medical Society licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: WBUR

According to a new Harvard study, burnout among doctors is becoming a public health crisis, with more than half of doctors across the U.S. reporting that they experience professional burnout to some degree.

Burnout has been determined to manifest in three different ways among doctors, including emotional exhaustion, disconnection from work and feeling inefficient in the workplace.

Other health experts however have pointed out that it has been relatively difficult to pinpoint what “burning out” means, because it varies, and this factor makes it impossible to account for other factors that contribute to burning out.

Among Harvard researchers’ suggestions for improving the situation for doctors is developing more mental health treatment options for doctors who are not capable of caring for patients. Additionally, the study points to a need for improving the electronic health records system so that doctors do not spend hundreds of hours per year on just paperwork, instead of with patients.

Read Full Story: WBUR

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