Burnout program gives clinicians coping strategies
To combat high rates of burnout among physicians, the American Medical Association introduced the Joy in Medicine program.
Clinician burnout reached its highest levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news article from Fierce Healthcare. The Joy in Medicine program was designed to help health systems address persistent burnout caused by a high administrative burden, long working hours and the physical and emotional toll of practicing health care. Despite its success, the level of burnout among certain medical specialties remains high.
For instance, a separate news article from Healthcare Dive reported that emergency medical practitioners, urologic surgeons, hematology and oncology practitioners, and obstetricians and gynecologists still experience higher rates of burnout.
Experts cited in the article offered a number of approaches to manage burnout, one of which is mindfulness. Clinicians were encouraged to take time during their day to clear their minds, focus on breathing deeply and stay grounded in the present.
Clinicians may also be able to alleviate the burden of administrative tasks by taking advantage of artificial intelligence tools to document clinical care, summarize research and handle other daily operations. While the assistive application of AI among physicians has doubled over the past three years, the experts emphasized that the tools are still early in their development and should be used with caution because of mixed results on their efficacy as well as the prevalence of hallucinations. Additionally, peer-to-peer support networks can help clinicians find solidarity and realize they’re not alone in experiencing burnout.
The experts stressed that clinician burnout requires targeted management strategies dependent on the specialty.
Read more: Fierce Healthcare
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