For health systems and organizations that want a more engaged and satisfied workforce, it’s time to prioritize physician well-being.
That’s because creating an environment where physicians can thrive will allow them to provide better, safer and more compassionate care to patients. In turn, those focused on the financial bottom-line will notice a reduction in the organization’s total costs of care.
An AMA STEPS Forward® playbook on wellness-centered leadership presents the reasons why physician well-being is so important and offers concrete things leaders can do to get started on developing a culture of well-being across their organization. The playbook also contains links to numerous sources to help establish an environment that creates the organizational foundation for joy in medicine.
Reducing physician burnout is a critical component of the AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians.
Far too many American physicians experience burnout. That's why the AMA develops resources that prioritize well-being and highlight workflow changes so physicians can focus on what matters—patient care.
5 reasons to prioritize well-being
The playbook offers five key arguments as to why organizations should be prioritizing physician well-being. They are:
It’s the moral and ethical thing to do. Organizations have a responsibility to care for their people, including a duty to protect them from harm from occupational endeavors.
It will help the practice as a business. Evidence shows the quality of care suffers and that there are financial costs to the organization when physicians are burnt out. The costs come from turnover, a decrease in patient satisfaction, and a risk of malpractice lawsuits, among other things.
It can bring recognition. Practices can be recognized as a top-tier organization when it comes to physician well-being through programs such as the AMA Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program.
It is required in some cases. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has accreditation requirements to attend to the well-being of health care organizations that train residents, fellows and medical students.
It can help avoid tragedy. Organizations can find themselves caught having to react to a death by suicide by one or more health care professionals.
7 ways to prioritize well-being
Establishing a chief wellness officer—someone in a C-level executive position responsible for organizational strategy who guides system-wide efforts to improve professional fulfillment—is one step an organization can take to help make meaningful changes. An AMA toolkit guides organizations through how to establish a chief wellness officer.
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Beyond establishing a chief wellness officer, here are seven steps to reduce physician burnout and boost well-being.
Workload and job demands: Cap patient volumes and panel sizes for individual physicians. When setting clinical full-time equivalents, take work that is not patient-facing—for example, electronic EHR work—into account. Learn how to optimize panel sizes and how to get rid of stupid stuff.
Control and flexibility: Whenever it is possible, give physicians autonomy over how and when they work. For example, don’t micromanage their daily schedules, on-call schedules or vacations.
Efficiency and resources: Make every effort to ensure there are adequate staffing ratios to support physicians. Implement advanced team-based care workflows to increase teamwork and efficiency. Optimize EHR functionality and scheduling systems.
Meaning in work: Match physician and care team member tasks to their level of training and provide doctors with opportunities and funding for research, leadership, development and education.
Organizational culture and values: Keep lines of communication and feedback open, eliminate the hierarchy and embrace camaraderie. Organizations should also promote psychological safety and equity for all physicians.
Work-life integration: Provide opportunities such as telehealth and administrative days that allow people to work from home. Optimize efficiency during the workday to reduce “pajama time” or work outside of work.
Social support and community at work: Establish formal peer support and mentoring programs. Organizations can also provide common spaces, such as a physician lounge to promote collegiality. Schedule social gatherings during work hours and outside of work.
The AMA STEPS Forward open-access resources offer innovative strategies that allow physicians and their staff to thrive in the new health care environment. These resources can help prevent physician burnout, create the organizational foundation for joy in medicine and improve practice efficiency.
