Becker's Hospital Review

21 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 2 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING SPONSORED BY Clinician burnout: TeamHealth clinical leader on why it is time to break the stigma, promote dialogue and provide resources W hile clinician burnout has been a problem for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this persistent issue. A recent survey conducted by the American Medical Association found that 62.8 percent of physicians had at least one incidence of burnout in 2021, up almost 25 percent from 38.2 percent in 2020. Becker's Hospital Review recently spoke with Peter Kah, MD, a TeamHealth regional medical director, emergency medicine, and co-chair of TeamHealth's clinician resiliency committee, about the persistent problem of clinician burnout and some of the ways organizations can respond. Multiple factors in the healthcare environment have contributed to and compounded clinician burnout Even before the pandemic, staffing pressures were a reality throughout all parts of the healthcare sector. This led some clinicians to leave the field, reducing the size of the talent pool. "There just isn't the same number of people in the industry as we had before, whether it's nurses, techs, doctors, nurse practitioners or other roles," Dr. Kah said. Dr. Kah also observed many medical professionals who were close to retiring prior to the pandemic have since decided to leave the field. Others have sought and often found less stressful jobs in fields they wouldn't have previously considered. Adding to these dynamics, new people coming into healthcare increasingly understand this is a difficult field to work in. The administrative burden facing clinicians has also contributed to burnout. Taking care of patients requires many more administrative and regulatory steps than in the past. "It can be tough to deal with the added expectation of new required documentation," Dr. Kah said. Although the worst days of the pandemic are behind us, the problem of burnout persists and, in some ways, it's even worse. "During the crisis, there was the feeling that burnout was a temporary issue and that eventually staffing would get better," Dr. Kah said. "People felt that they were fighting COVID-19 together and doing something heroic during unprecedented times. Today, the pressing medical emergency has gotten better, but our ongoing staffing situation hasn't. In fact, at many hospitals, the situation is now a lot worse." It's time to break the stigma associated with burnout Large numbers of healthcare professionals are suffering from burnout, but even now many are reluctant to talk about it. In response, TeamHealth has implemented a portfolio of solutions and resources for employees and leaders alike. "The first step toward addressing burnout is acknowledging that it's a real problem and helping people understand they aren't alone," Dr. Kah said. "TeamHealth recently launched its 'Break the Stigma' campaign to let clinicians know that it's safe to talk about burnout and mental health issues. We have assembled educational resources related to these topics and encourage leaders to use them at all meetings, especially local onsite gatherings." TeamHealth's employee resource app, "Zenith," connects employees and their families with a wide range of resources. "Burnout affects families, as well as clinicians," Dr. Kah explained. "A big part of well-being for providers is ensuring their family is doing well too. As a result, we decided to provide support not just to our partners and providers, but to their family members as well." Through Zenith, counseling services can be scheduled in person, by video, by phone or through text messaging. Additional resources are available to take the pressure off of daily stresses, such as legal assistance for everyday needs, at-home care for children or other family members and financial advice. In addition, the app includes recommendations clinicians can use to cultivate better mental health, like exercising, taking time each day to engage in favorite activities or getting out into nature. Leaders play a central role in identifying burnout and connecting clinicians with help To reduce rates of burnout and mitigate its harms, TeamHealth is focused on educating leaders about this critical issue, including the development of a wellness committee to spearhead several important initiatives. Today, a proactive approach to addressing burnout has become an important part of the company's culture.

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