Sometimes the endless discussion about burnout in health care creates its own form of burnout — a sense of hopelessness about being able to stop an epidemic. But there is a way to counter burnout. Health care organizations can use a framework that deconstructs the different sources of stress and rewards in the lives of clinicians and that guides strategies for improving the balance. These distinct sources warrant different responses; conflating them can frustrate clinicians and worsen the problem.
One Way to Prevent Clinician Burnout
A framework for balancing stress and rewards.
October 12, 2017
Summary.
There is a way to reduce physician burnout. Health care organizations can use a framework that deconstructs the different sources of stress and rewards in the lives of clinicians and that guides strategies for improving the balance. The key is to understand the difference between stresses and rewards that are inherent to caregiving and those that are external to it, deriving from the work environment. These distinct sources warrant different responses; conflating them can frustrate clinicians and worsen the problem.