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Cropped shot of a female doctor displaying symptoms of burnout.

The Top Causes of Physician Burnout and How to Help

Physician burnout in the United States is damaging health systems everywhere. It has a negative impact on the quality of medical care, personal satisfaction in one’s career, and a provider’s ability to effectively help patients. Compared to a toy’s battery running out, the provider’s energy level and ability to work effectively run empty for a number of reasons.

Most often expressed as exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of efficacy in one’s career choice, it is extremely difficult to work through. Below are the top 3 contributors to physician burnout and how to help providers within your organization.

Causes of Physician burnout

Administrative Tasks

An overwhelming administrative burden is one of the top causes of physician burnout. Providers did not get into healthcare so they could fill out paperwork and spend hours in front of a computer. So when this happens, providers are often overwhelmed and dissatisfied with the process. This could include anything from compliance documents, claims submission, and more. Bureaucratic tasks like charting and other documentation can increase physician burnout.

Too Many Hours

Doctors are known for their long and dedicated hours. The problem is that while they are some of the smartest and most educated people in society, they are still human. The long and exhaustive hours providers are sometimes required to work can quickly lead to physician burnout. These hours are sometimes unavoidable due to the amount of work that needs to be done on a given day.

Lack of Respect Across Teams

A common problem in the medical community is that different teams do not offer high respect for one another. This might include administrators, employers, colleagues, or staff not showing high respect for their physicians in the work environment and vice versa. If providers are being asked to work long hours and do so much else on top of patient care, they might find themselves feeling under-appreciated and experiencing physician burnout

How to Decrease Physician Burnout

Implement Technology Solutions

The right tools and technology can be hugely instrumental in decreasing physician burnout. The right tech makes it possible for your physician to complete a number of processes more efficiently than ever before. The right medical billing software can help your team complete and submit claims more efficiently than ever. Customizable templates in a fully integrated EHR enable simplified documenting processes and easy-to-use interfaces. With the right technology, your providers can return their sole focus on the patient rather than administrative tasks.

Partner with Quality Vendors

The right vendor can make all the difference in the world when it comes to simplifying compliance tasks and streamlining your workflow. For example, outsourcing your medical billing services to an expert vendor makes your claims process more efficient and more accurate. It can improve clean claims up to 99% while your providers focus on their patients and nothing else. This returned focus on patient care helps physicians avoid burnout and find purpose in their careers again.

Build a Unified Team

Unity is incredibly valuable when trying to decrease physician burnout. It is crucial that your management team foster an environment of mutual respect and admiration for every position in your organization. This should also extend to respecting and encouraging the personal lives of everyone in your organization.

To learn more about tools and partnerships that can help you decrease physician burnout, click here.

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