Today's Practice: Changing the Business of Medicine TP2018Q2DigitalEditionWeb | Page 20

P RA CT I CE MA NA GE ME NT
A Very Real, Very Expensive Outcome.
Physician Burnout
By Gregory Sanders, MD
Physician burnout is real and prevalent. According to the
U.S. News & World Report, 54 percent of doctors in this
country meet criteria consistent with burnout. So, what
exactly is physician burnout and how can we detect it
early?
While it is easy to recognize blatant exhaustion, burnout
symptoms can also be more indirect. We have all
encountered doctors who become cynical towards medi-
cine and the medical system in general, and in my
opinion, this is the first early sign that burnout is coming.
An overall negative attitude starts during training, where
harmless complaining eases the burden of a grueling
residency or fellowship program, and seems to bond us
together like soldiers. But is it harmless? The first few
years beyond training are sheltered from burnout due to
financial rewards and a newfound self-rule which has
been finally realized after a decade of education. As the
years pass, frustration with practicing in a heavily regulat-
ed environment starts to sink in. So, what do we do?
Well, we tend to revert b