Physicians are at high risk of burnout today. Healthcare organizations must recognize this and take steps to prevent this burnout. When physicians aren’t mentally or physically healthy, the quality and consistency of patient care decline. Real, scalable solutions are needed to prevent this from happening.
Many organizations are turning to temporary physician placement solutions. Doing so helps reduce strain on the organization and its staff members. Furthermore, it enables the organization to protect its most valuable resource: its workforce.
What Leads to Physician Burnout?
Many things can lead to physician burnout. Individuals outside the medical industry often lack an understanding of burnout. It is more than fatigue. Burnout is actually a stress response that leads to detachment, a feeling of little accomplishment, and emotional exhaustion. Physicians are more likely to leave the field when they’re struggling with burnout; for those who remain, the risk of medical errors increases. Patient satisfaction declines when individuals are treated by physicians who are burned out.
Several things can lead to physician burnout. Long work hours with little flexibility are a leading cause of this issue. Electronic health record systems and other administrative burdens are leading many healthcare professionals to leave the industry, and those who remain are increasingly frustrated by their lack of autonomy. They want more control over their scheduling and other areas of their daily work. Physicians working in high-acuity or chronic care settings also struggle with emotional demands.
The Effect of Burnout on Healthcare Organizations
Physician burnout affects more than the individual. Healthcare organizations also experience the repercussions of this burnout. The turnover rate rises, leading to higher recruitment expenses. Productivity decreases, and these organizations struggle with lost revenue when staffing gaps aren’t filled. Patients are often dissatisfied with the care they receive, resulting in lower HCAHPS scores. Furthermore, physician burnout increases the risk of medical errors and safety issues. Care consistency declines.
Combatting Burnout
Every healthcare organization must seek flexible coverage solutions to mitigate the risk of physician burnout. Bringing in temporary workers helps distribute the workload while improving scheduling equity. Teams are less likely to be overstretched. Furthermore, every organization needs to consider strategic medical staff augmentation and team-based care models. Integrated scheduling tools are also beneficial.
Locum Tenens
Countless healthcare organizations are turning to locum tenens for help. These temporary workers immediately relieve overextended teams, thereby alleviating pressure on them. Patients receive uninterrupted care, while health care workers can achieve a better work-life balance. Locum tenens may be used when permanent staff members are on vacation or leave. Additionally, they may be called upon during recruitment transitions.
Benefits for Locum Tenens
Individuals may question why anyone would prefer to work as a locum tenens. Most people today want job stability and security. Locum tenens actually do have job stability and security, as staffing shortages exist across the healthcare industry. These individuals may choose which jobs they accept, the length of each assignment, and the location. They gain more control over their schedules, allowing them to achieve the desired work-life balance. Furthermore, locum tenens practitioners have the opportunity to work in a variety of practice settings, expand their skills, and handle a range of cases.
Flexible staffing solutions benefit physicians and healthcare organizations. Physicians are at lower risk of burnout, while healthcare organizations can increase their revenue and reduce the risk of medical errors. Every healthcare organization should look into this option today. Once an organization begins bringing in locum tenens, it will quickly realize the value these temporary workers provide.