PhysicianMental Well-being

Improving physician health involves addressing and combatting burnout

Find out more at insights.sca.health, or find us on

At PE GI Solutions, our top priority is the well-being of our patients and our community of partners and staff. A healthy and supported team enables us to deliver high-quality care.

However, physicians across the healthcare industry report experiencing mental struggles related to job requirements and the daily stress associated with their work. Of these struggles, many have reported burnout as one of the significant factors. Burnout is a state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged exposure to stress and excessive work demands. It significantly impacts individuals’ well-being, job satisfaction, and overall productivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognized the severity of burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” in 2019. Burnout is a gradual process; actively reducing stress can prevent a breakdown.

Understanding Burnout

Burnout is often caused by chronic stress. Stress levels can become persistent and unmanageable when individuals consistently face overwhelming workloads, tight deadlines, or a lack of control over their work. Over time, the body and mind struggle to cope with this continuous stress to the point that the person feels exhausted, empty, and unable to cope.

Recognizing the Signs

Physicians should identify the signs of stress in themselves and their colleagues. Common physical symptoms include fatigue, high blood pressure or sleep issues, and changes in appetite. Emotionally, individuals may experience changes like irritability, sadness, and anxiety. Research also shows that cognitive aspects such as difficulty concentrating, reduced decision-making abilities, and interpersonal challenges are signs to watch for.

These effects on performance and interpersonal communication can also lead to increased medical errors—placing physicians, practices, and centers at risk for malpractice lawsuits.

Burnout is characterized by three main symptoms: exhaustion, self-isolation from work and family, and reduced performance. Recognizing these signs early can help individuals seek support and address burnout to promote well-being.

Supporting Mental Health

PE GI Solutions remains committed to providing a healthy work environment for all our physicians and teammates. We recommend that our teammates take proactive steps to protect their mental health, including the strategies below.

Encouraging Open Communication

We prioritize open communication as a cornerstone of our supportive culture. Our partners and staff are encouraged to express their thoughts, opinions, and concerns openly. We create a sense of trust and reassurance by fostering an environment where individuals feel safe to share their experiences. Regular team meetings, one-on-one check-ins, and confidential feedback channels provide avenues for open communication, ensuring that partners and staff feel validated and supported.

Promoting Work-life Balance

For physicians, maintaining a hectic daily schedule while working to balance relationships with families and friends, hobbies, and exercise can be a struggle. However, ensuring you take appropriate time away from work to unwind and decompress can help you provide the highest quality care to patients.

PE GI Solutions emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries and taking time for self-care. We encourage partners and staff to schedule regular breaks, vacations, and personal days to recharge and reconnect with their passions outside of work. By promoting worklife balance, we empower individuals to prioritize their physical and mental well-being, increase job satisfaction, reduce burnout, and improve overall productivity.

Outside Resources and Activities

Resources outside the workplace offer a safe space to vent the frustrations of working in a fast-paced, dynamic, patient-centric industry. Some standard stress outlets include:

Therapy

Therapy allows you to have private conversations and discuss issues from a third-party perspective. Unfortunately, within the healthcare community, a stigma around seeking treatment has persisted, even following the COVID-19 pandemic. While the national narrative about mental health has seen a positive shift, the healthcare industry remains reluctant, despite the positive impact it can have.

Exercise

Exercise has also proven valuable for physicians. Endorphins associated with exercise provide natural stress relief and another safe outlet to release frustrations outside the workplace.

Friends and Family

Quality time away from the office can be a valuable resource to reduce stress. Spending this time with family, friends, or significant others can be an easy way to enjoy oneself and focus on tasks unrelated to work.

Conclusion

By understanding the signs of burnout, encouraging open communication, and promoting work-life balance, physicians can take time to focus on themselves and continue to provide high-quality care for patients.