Physician well being has been impacted greatly by changes in healthcare both internally and externally. These shifts in healthcare all build up to increasing pressure on physicians, negatively impacting their well being.
Internal Factors
Internally, the shift towards digitalization of medicine comes with a number of new challenges for physicians. Where time during appointments used to be spent almost solely on face-to-face care with a patient, is now being spent on documentation/EMRs as well. Physicians must divide their attention between the patient and the computer. The increased use of technology is also diminishing the collaborative nature of medicine. Time once spent on in-person consults and care discussions is replaced with emailed opinions and medical scans.
External Factors
Externally, the rise in responsibility and expectations is putting additional pressure on physicians. Many physicians now oversee a growing number of people due to the gradual shift toward larger practices. They must also complete administrative tasks, keep up with technical advances in medical diagnostics and treatments, as well as the evolving payments and change in payment processes.
There is also an increasingly high standard put on physicians. Majority of physicians report patient satisfaction surveys negatively affect their job satisfaction. Along with ACA pay for performance standards and online physician reviews, physicians are faced with near impossible expectations.
The culmination of the unrealistic standards, increasing responsibility and changing technology has put enormous pressure on physicians. The awareness of physician burnout has become more prevalent in healthcare systems, however, there are solutions to help combat this issue.
Take a deeper dive into the changes in healthcare impacting physician well being and learn tips healthcare organizations can use to improve well being by downloading our infographic.
