Findings reveal alarming gap in perception as 79% of clinicians feel unsupported—while 95% of leaders believe they are addressing healthcare worker burnout.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN. (March 25, 2025) - A new survey commissioned by VITAL WorkLife, the leading expert in mental health and well-being for healthcare organizations, reveals a stark disconnect between healthcare leadership and clinicians regarding mental health needs, highlighting urgent gaps in perception, prioritization, and solutions.
While many healthcare leaders and clinicians recognize that burnout and stress have worsened in recent years, 79% of clinicians believe their employer has not provided sufficient mental health resources—compared to more than 95% of healthcare leadership who feel otherwise—believing that they have addressed healthcare worker burnout with sufficient programs and attention.
The findings underscore a pressing need for healthcare organizations to align
leadership 
priorities with the real challenges clinicians face and implement meaningful support initiatives. Industry-wide issues such as staffing shortages and increasing administrative burdens have put immense pressure on clinicians, contributing to high levels of stress and burnout.
"Clinicians are sounding the alarm, yet while leadership recognizes the issue, there remains a gap in urgency, uncertainty about the most effective solutions, and a lack of clarity on how to build a sustainable, comprehensive approach,” said Mitch Best, CEO, VITAL WorkLife. “The survey results really underscore the critical need for healthcare organizations to realign leadership priorities with the real challenges clinicians are facing. The well-being of clinicians is not just an HR initiative—it is fundamental to sustaining physician well-being, reducing turnover and recruiting costs, and maintaining optimal patient safety and outcomes.”
Targeted resources and programs that support clinicians—such as burnout assessment tools, dedicated peer coaching, counseling, and support groups—can play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges. However, success requires more than just offering resources; it demands internal buy-in from leadership and a strategic approach that integrates internal initiatives with scalable external solutions across the healthcare organization.
A Widening Gap in Perception and Priorities
In addition to the previous alarming statistic, the survey also highlights several growing disconnects between healthcare leadership and frontline clinicians when it comes to mental health priorities.
Here are some key findings:
- Disparity in Urgency: While 80% of clinicians emphasize the urgency of addressing mental health challenges within their organizations, only half of medical and nursing leadership view clinician mental health as being in a critical state.
- Low Priority: More than 70% of clinicians believe that leadership considers mental health a low-priority issue.
- Misalignment: While 98% of healthcare leaders believe their initiatives prioritize clinician well-being, 39% of clinicians feel otherwise, and think that leadership is more focused on operational performance than on provider mental health and well-being.
Challenges and Misalignment in Solutions
While healthcare leaders may be implementing mental health initiatives, these efforts are falling short in effectively reaching or supporting the clinicians who need them most. To bridge this gap, healthcare leaders must re-evaluate their current programs, engage directly with clinicians to understand their evolving needs, and implement solutions that deliver tangible, real-time relief from burnout and stress.
Although organizations offer resources such as professional counseling, on-site safe spaces, and wellness programs, many clinicians remain unaware of or disengaged from these initiatives and want more of a personalized approach.
Next Steps and a Call to Action
For mental health and well-being initiatives to be truly effective, they must be tailored to the specific challenges clinicians face and designed to integrate seamlessly into their demanding work environments.
The findings highlight the need for organizations to move beyond one-size-fits-all solutions and adopt strategies tailored to the realities of clinical workers. More than 90% of leadership and clinicians agree Physician Well-Being Resources-type programs would improve the overall well-being, job satisfaction, and career longevity of clinicians in their organization.
Both leadership and clinicians agree that immediate access to behavioral health support on a regular basis is also a top priority, alongside clinician-specific well-being programs, burnout assessment tools, dedicated peer support groups, tailored support solutions, and flexible work hours. Leadership team members anticipate a large positive impact on the culture of their organization if proper investments are made into programs uniquely designed for their clinicians.
"There is a real opportunity for healthcare leaders to bridge this disconnect and create clinician-driven strategies for mental health and workflow improvements,” said Paul DeChant, MD, MBA, FAAFP, an expert on clinician burnout, Consultant with VITAL WorkLife, and Senior Physician Advisor at the American Medical Association. “Given the unique needs of clinicians in the workplace, there is certainly a clear need by both leadership and clinicians to have immediate access to behavioral health support 24/7/365. And providing flexible, customized solutions that respond directly to clinicians’ concerns can create a cultural ripple effect across healthcare organizations.”
Survey Methodology
The survey was commissioned by VITAL WorkLife and conducted over a three-week period in January 2025.
The quantitative research was conducted through a comprehensive online survey administered to 210 healthcare professionals across the United States. Respondents represented diverse healthcare functions including leadership level medical, nursing, HR, and wellness staff, as well as clinicians, ensuring a representative cross-section of the healthcare industry.
The survey utilized a stratified random sampling approach to ensure proportional representation across healthcare disciplines, practice settings, and geographic regions. All participants were verified full-time healthcare professionals.
