Provider burnout is probably most associated with having too many clinical responsibilities competing for your attention, combined with the ever-present threat of oversights and errors that could harm a patient and ultimately decimate your practice. And while that’s all a significant part of the mix, the COVID-19 pandemic raised the specter that burnout can result from being underactive, as well, according to an article from the American Medical Association. That observation came from Shawn C. Jones, MD, who had just taken on a new role as medical director of provider wellness for Baptist Health Medical Group in Kentucky as the pandemic gathered steam. “If you were in an urgent care setting that shut down and didn’t work for a few months, then your experience of the pandemic was different—you probably lost some wages, you didn’t feel as important,” the piece quotes him as explaining. Regardless of the contributing factors, the article recommends implementing a few policies to prevent or help providers deal with burnout. The source article goes into more depth on each, but they include:
- Offering physician coaching
- Ensuring that team members feel appreciated
- Working with your EHR vendor to help improve efficiency through customization
- Making sure provider wellbeing is a consideration in institutional decision-making
Urgent care providers are empowered to take certain steps to help themselves, too, of course. Concrete steps are laid out in an article entitled Provider Burnout Is Real; Show Compassion for Yourself, which is available in our archive.