Forward-looking health systems across the country are taking steps to assess their physicians’ well-being and following a well-defined AMA road map to take actions that can reduce doctor burnout and cut physician turnover.
Such steps seem to be having an effect, with exclusive AMA data showing the rate of physician burnout hitting its lowest rate since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the AMA is setting guardrails to help ensure that efforts to find out what is driving physician burnout align with the principles of medical ethics and do not amount to, or permit, retaliation against doctors.
An AMA Board of Trustees report whose recommendations were adopted at the 2025 AMA Annual Meeting in Chicago notes that while “burnout is widespread throughout the medical profession, it is highly contextual and can manifest in different ways and to different extents depending on the individual and on the practice, institution or health system in which the physician works.”
The board’s report notes that “the collection and use of physicians’ personal health information and/or biological data has the potential to help reduce burnout and improve physician well-being; however, the practice also creates several ethical dilemmas and should not be viewed as a panacea.”
While calling for more research on physician well-being, the board report says that “prior to implementation, policy protections should be developed to hold supervisors and administrators accountable and ensure that such programs are truly physician-centered and do not place the onus of preventing burnout on those suffering from it.”
Moreover, “new policies and relational norms will need to be developed to protect physician data, prevent abuse of the power differential between data subjects and the data recipients, and ensure that such data is used solely for improving physician well-being and not in any way that could be perceived as retaliatory.”
In a statement, AMA Trustee David J. Welsh, MD, MBA, said “the management of such sensitive information raises significant privacy, security and ethical concerns that should be carefully addressed to ensure the rights and interests of individuals are protected.
“Individual health history and biological data can provide valuable insights into physical and mental health,” he added. “The collection and use of this data offers the possibility of supporting the well-being of healthcare professionals, including early identification of burnout and developing prevention strategies, so they can best care for patients.”
In collecting physician data, the AMA board’s report says, “it is imperative that the AMA Code of Medical Ethics and AMA Privacy Principles [PDF] be followed.”
To that end, the AMA House of Delegates this week adopted new policy saying that, when it comes to promoting physician well-being, doctors’ personal health information or biological data should be collected only if:
- Evidence supports that the specific data being collected is minimized to only that which is relevant and necessary to the development of interventions which promote physician well-being and reduce professional burnout.
- Physicians are informed whether the data is directly or indirectly identifiable.
- Physicians have the ability to opt in or opt out—without retribution, penalty, or direct or indirect coercion.
- Physicians are able to provide informed consent prior to data acquisition and use.
- Physicians retain the choice to opt out at any time.
In addition, this type of personal health or biological data should be collected only if it is used solely “to ameliorate burnout-inducing working conditions,” says the newly adopted policy.
The delegates also adopted new policy saying that any:
- Use of physician personal health information or biological data that is retaliatory or that perpetuates unjust biases should be avoided and prohibited.
- Entity that collects physician personal health information or biological data must have transparent policies and procedures for secure data storage as well as its storage duration and deletion protocols.
In 2024, 43.2% of physicians reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout, down from 48.2% in 2023 and 53% in 2022.
While many factors contribute to burnout, physician burnout is often associated with system inefficiencies, administrative burdens and increased regulation and technology requirements.
The “big four” factors known to contribute to stress and burnout include:
- Time pressure, especially in patient visits or documentation.
- Lack of control over work environment.
- Chaotic, fast-paced workplaces.
- Culture of the organization, specifically a culture that does not emphasize communication, cohesion, trust and alignment of values between physicians and their leaders.
Previously, delegates directed the AMA to develop metrics that hospitals and hospital systems can use to improve physicians’ experience, engagement and work environment in a manner that is accessible to physicians. A report is expected by next year’s Annual Meeting.
Since 2012, the AMA has led the national conversation on solving the physician burnout crisis and advocated for new solutions that acknowledge that physicians need support, system reforms, and burden reduction.
As the leader in physician well-being, the AMA is reducing physician burnout by removing administrative burdens and providing real-world solutions to help doctors rediscover the Joy in Medicine™.
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Supporting flexibility in burnout prevention programs
In a separate action also taken June 9, delegates adopted policy discouraging burnout-prevention programs that impose inflexible requirements, mandatory assignments or punitive measures for physicians and medical trainees. Instead, the new policy supports evidence-based programs that allow for voluntary participation, flexible scheduling and recognition of the importance of personal time in promoting well-being.
“While well-intended, inflexible burnout prevention programs can actually increase stress and workload for physicians and trainees,” AMA Trustee Melissa J. Garretson, MD, said in a statement released June 10. “To be effective, these programs should prioritize flexibility, autonomy, mindfulness and personal well-being. These programs can have a powerful impact on reducing burnout when participants are empowered to choose activities that fit their needs and schedules.”
Get rid of redundant compliance training
In a separate action that was voted upon Monday and publicized by the AMA on Tuesday, delegates aimed to help remove a particularly frustrating obstacle to care.
Among the many administrative burdens that contribute to physician burnout and reduce the time physicians can spend with patients, one is especially exasperating to doctors because it is often entirely duplicative.
Doctors often see patients at several hospitals and health facilities. Each entity may require physicians to complete their version of legally mandated, annual compliance training, resulting in “multiple, often redundant, annual compliance trainings across various health care facilities, resulting in undue burdens on their time and resources,” notes a resolution introduced by the Ohio delegation.
While compliance training covers legally required topics such as sexual harassment laws, redundant training can result in physicians spending “many hours annually on repetitive training sessions,” says the resolution. That time would be better used for seeing patients.
“Physicians face increasing administrative burdens that take time away from patient care,” Dr. Garretson said. “Lifelong learning is essential to maintaining high standards of patient care and professional conduct, but the system needs to be more efficient. Every minute matters—and streamlining these trainings will give physicians time back to do what matters most—caring for patients.”
To address the issue, delegates voted June 9 to direct the AMA to:
- Advocate for the creation of reciprocity programs that allow physicians to receive credit for compliance training completed at one health care entity toward requirements at other facilities, provided the training meets specified standards.
- Collaborate with relevant parties to explore options for fair compensation or CME credits for time spent on mandatory compliance training.
Previously, the AMA adopted policy encouraging “reciprocity for corporate compliance curricula between institutions to minimize duplicate training and assessment of physicians,” and some hospitals have joined together to do just that—saving their physicians several hours a year in redundant training.
AMA members can get exclusive access to expertly curated CME tracks that sharpen physicians’ skills, fulfill state requirements, and help them stay current with the latest in the medical field—all in one place at AMA Ed Hub™. Learn more.
