Where physician burnout stands

For the survey, the Physicians Foundation contacted 1,723 respondents between June 17 and July 16 of 2024. Of the 1,020 physicians who responded to the survey, roughly 40% were primary care while the rest were specialists. Almost three-quarters were employed — not in independent practice, roughly half were 45 or younger, and nearly two-thirds were male.

The survey found that physician burnout remains high in 2024, with six in 10 physicians and residents reporting burnout, compared to four in 10 physicians before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over half of physicians said in the past year they experienced inappropriate feelings of anger, tearfulness, or anxiety. In addition, nearly 40% said they withdrew or felt isolated from family, friends, and co-workers, and nearly a third said they felt hopeless or that they had no purpose.

More than half of physicians said they knew of a colleague who considered, attempted, or died by suicide. Respondents overwhelmingly said there's a stigma around mental health and seeking care within the medical profession, partly related to questions asked in medical licensure, credentialing, and insurance applications. In fact, 71% of residents said changing or removing questions stigmatizing accessing behavioral healthcare from the licensure process would be helpful.

In addition, fewer than half of physicians said they would recommend medicine as a career to young people. Fewer than a third said their feelings about the future of the medical profession and their feelings about the current state of the profession are positive.

One contributing factor to burnout has been changes in the healthcare environment fueled by acquisitions, mergers, and private equity, the survey found.

Over two-thirds of respondents said consolidation is impacting patient access to high-quality, cost-efficient care, and just 14% of physicians said that private equity funding is good for the future of healthcare.

In addition, among physicians who have experienced a merger or acquisition in the past five years, half said the scenario made their job satisfaction somewhat or significantly worse, and over a third said the merger or acquisition made the quality of patient care somewhat or significantly worse.

Discussion

Gary Price, president of the Physicians Foundation, said the bottom line of the report is "we still have a huge problem with physician burnout in our healthcare workforce."

Price said it seems that "consolidation has changed the environment physicians find themselves caring for patients in a lot."

"The new paradigm of care has raised some new issues with burnout, but also some fundamental, real issues that we need to take a hard look at, when the economics of healthcare institutions might potentially come in conflict with the needs and best interests of the patients they serve," Price said.

Price added that physician burnout is further being fueled by losing autonomy when private equity comes into the picture, as physicians often don't have "complete control over the outcomes that they're held responsible for."

Advisory Board's physician retention resources

For more insights on ways to retain physicians, check out these Advisory Board resources:

• Your two-pronged approach to addressing — and preventing — physician burnout
• Becoming the physician employer of choice
• Combating Physician Burnout
• The Medical Group Leader's EMR Optimization Playbook
• Gaining an edge on the competition: The key to winning and retaining physician talent.
• How fostering a culture of respect can combat physician burnout

(Robertson, MedPage Today, 9/19; Physicians Foundation 2024 Survey of America's Current and Future Physicians 2024, accessed 9/26)