Healing Physician Burnout

Book excerpt: To Get Health System Leaders and Physicians Working Together, We Must Tackle Physician BurnoutThis is a book about physician burnout. It's also a book about physician engagement. Why? Because these two concepts are deeply connected. When physicians team up with the organizations they work for to pursue mutual goals, they are far less likely to burn out. And when organizations seek to prevent and treat physician burnout, they go a long way toward getting everyone--physicians included--working together to meet the same goals.There has never been a better time for organizations and physicians to join forces to make sure this happens. High rates of physician burnout and a rapid push toward integration demand it. And while it will surely be challenging, together we can create the right environment to facilitate massive change while keeping physicians physically, mentally, and emotionally strong. Healing Physician Burnout--written by healthcare performance expert Quint Studer in collaboration with George Ford, MD--explains how. You'll find:Evidence on why burnout is so high in physicians and why organizations should careTactics health system leaders can use to partner with physicians to help them avoid burnout--and to ensure that everyone is working toward the same goalsBurnout "red flags" leaders and physicians should watch for so that help may be provided early onPersonal profiles that tell of physicians' triumphs over burnout and showcase the passion and purpose that keep them perseveringActions physicians can take to heal their own burnout and help others to do so as wellPhysicians need understanding and empathy for the massive changes they must endure. While no one can stop the shift our industry is undergoing, we can create the kind of positive, supportive work environments that help physicians cope and, ultimately, thrive.