Safeguarding Physician Wellbeing: Using Checklists for Personal, Professional, and Psychological Safety

The US is facing a worsening epidemic of physician burnout, leading to an anticipated serious national shortage of physicians within the current decade. Effective solutions to mitigate physician burnout require a SHIFT and a more individualized approach. This book uses a checklist approach to empower medical students, residents, fellows, and practicing physicians to create and experience psychological, personal, and professional safety and wellbeing.

Format: Hardback
Length: 138 pages
Publication date: 23 February 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The United States is grappling with an escalating crisis of physician burnout, with an unprecedented exodus of healthcare professionals from the workforce and the practice of clinical medicine across all career stages. The prevalence of physician burnout has surged exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a projected severe national shortage of physicians within the next decade, coinciding with an aging and unhealthy population.

The critical shortage of physicians, coupled with an unhealthy physician workforce, leads to longer wait times for access, continued escalation of healthcare costs, diminished quality of care, and deteriorating patient experience. Despite growing media attention, published data, and recognition of system-based factors that erode physician well-being, no standardized, systematic solution has been implemented across hospitals, health systems, or various employment models or practice settings for all doctors, regardless of their primary care, medical, or surgical subspecialties.

To effectively address physician burnout, safeguard current working physicians, and prevent them from leaving medicine, a transformative shift and a more personalized approach are necessary. While many proposed academic models focus on system-based factors, their success hinges significantly on those who employ doctors. Executive leadership in healthcare systems often faces the dual challenges of physician burnout and their pursuit of autonomy, while being pressured for the standardization of care delivery to enhance quality and reduce costs. Physician productivity measures continue to rely on data samples from physician compensation surveys provided by companies like Sullivan Cotter or Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). While such benchmarks are widely used, they may not accurately reflect the specific realities and challenges faced by individual physicians.

In conclusion, the United States is facing a dire situation of physician burnout, characterized by an unprecedented exodus of healthcare professionals and a surge in the prevalence of burnout. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this crisis, leading to a projected severe national shortage of physicians within the next decade. To address this pressing issue, a transformative shift and a more personalized approach are urgently needed. Effective solutions must consider the unique challenges faced by individual physicians, healthcare systems, and the broader healthcare landscape. By implementing tailored strategies and initiatives, we can work towards mitigating physician burnout, preserving the well-being of current working physicians, and ensuring a sustainable and resilient healthcare system for the future.

Weight: 450g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032589909