Physician burnout, depression remain high

For the report, Medscape surveyed 9,226 physicians in over 29 specialties between July 5 and Oct. 9, 2023, to assess their current feelings of burnout, stress, and more. Among the respondents, 61% were men, and 37% were women.

Overall, 49% of physicians said they were burned out. Female physicians were also more likely to report being burned out than male physicians at 56% vs. 44%, respectively. Compared to last year, rates of burnout among physicians have declined slightly, but the length and severity of burnout continue to be quite high overall.

According to the report, most respondents said they have felt burned out for at least 13 months or more, with 42% saying that they have been burned out for over two years. Respondents are also struggling with severe burnout, with 16% of female physicians and 14% of male physicians saying that it was so severe that they might leave medicine altogether.

Among the different specialties, emergency medicine continues to top the list with the highest rates of burnout at 63%. The specialties with the next highest rates of burnout include ob/gyn (53%), oncology (53%), pediatrics (51%), family medicine (51%), and radiology (51%). 

Job stress is a major contributor to burnout and depression among physicians, with 83% of both male and female physicians saying that it contributed to either most of or all of their feelings of burnout and/ or depression.

When asked about the top factors contributing to their burnout, physicians highlighted too many bureaucratic tasks (62%), too many hours at work (41%), and a lack of respect from others at work (40%). 

Twenty percent of physicians also reported feeling depressed, a slight decrease from the 23% who said the same last year. Among physicians experiencing depression, the biggest contributors were job burnout (72%), their responsibilities as physicians (44%), finances (31%), and world events (31%).

According to Nigel Girgrah, a gastroenterologist, internist, and chief wellness officer at Ochsner Health, burnout is not the same as depression, but can be a major risk factor for developing it. "I think of burnout as an occupational syndrome; over time, the resulting exhaustion can lead to depression," he said. "Burnout reduces the ability to address mental health challenges at an earlier stage."

Compared to last year, fewer physicians said that depression did not affect their patient relationships (45% vs. 51%). Overall, 40% percent of respondents said they were more easily exasperated with patients, and 26% said they were less careful when with patient notes. 

How to reduce physician burnout and depression

Respondents reported several coping mechanisms for dealing with burnout, including exercise (52%), talking with family and friends (49%), and sleeping (41%).

Physicians also made changes at work to reduce their feelings of burnout. Over 30% of physicians said they reduced their work hours, while 25% said they changed their work settings or got a different job. 

However, Girgrah said these changes suggest that "many of our physicians don't feel a sense of autonomy or agency in terms of impacting the work environment" since "[t]hey are taking actions that rely on themselves." Notably, 48% of respondents said they did not feel like their employers were paying enough attention to burnout levels among physician staff.

When asked about workplace measures that would be the most helpful at reducing burnout, responses were largely similar to last year, with increasing compensation, adding more support staff, and having more flexible schedules in the top three. 

"Having enough support staff to help deliver quality care is key in fighting physician burnout," said Lisa MacLean, a psychiatrist and chief clinical wellness officer at Henry Ford Health System. "Many organizations have struggled to hire qualified support staff since the pandemic. Losing just one key staffer can affect the well-being of the entire team." (McKenna, Medscape, 1/26)

Healthcare is facing a mounting workforce crisis as administrative and cognitive burdens, physician burnout, and workforce shortages continue to rise. Download our case study to learn how Nuance  reduced documentation and cognitive burden for clinicians.