Managing Burnout in Medical Practices: A Guide for Practice Administrators

Tracey Cumberland shares nine packed strategies for medical practices working to combat burnout and foster a healthier workplace.

Burnout among healthcare professionals continues to be a topic of deep concern. Although we are four years from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still very much in the middle of an epidemic of clinician burnout. According to American Medical Association research, continued healthcare provider burnout is not due to a lack of resilience among medical practitioners. Instead, it is a result of the systems that are in place in the healthcare organizations where clinicians work. As a practice leader, you're uniquely positioned to assist in mitigating burnout among your staff and focusing on solutions to foster a healthier workplace. An effective leader can help an organization develop and maintain a positive culture supporting both provider and staff well-being. Let’s talk about some actionable strategies to help you effectively address and help reduce team burnout. 

Understanding Burnout in Medical Practices 

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive stress. In medical practices, burnout often stems from factors like:

• High Patient Volumes: Managing tight schedules with minimal downtime
• Administrative Burdens: Navigating complex insurance claims, compliance issues, and documentation
• Emotional Strain: Handling life-and-death situations or managing patients' emotional needs
• Staffing Challenges: Covering shifts due to absenteeism or turnover

Burnout manifests as fatigue, decreased empathy, reduced productivity, and disengagement. Left unaddressed, it can lead to high staff turnover, poor patient outcomes, a toxic work environment, and loss of revenue.

How Practice Leaders Can Address Burnout

As a leader, you are key to creating a supportive environment that prioritizes employee well-being. Below are strategies to combat burnout and foster strength among your staff.

1. Foster Trust and Open Communication.
   
   Open and trusting communication in the workplace is critical, and it comes down to fostering trusting relationships between administration, providers, and staff. When your team feels heard and valued, they are more likely to voice concerns before burnout. Some things that can be done include:

• • Regular Check-Ins: Schedule one-on-one meetings or “pulse checks” to discuss workloads, challenges, and personal well-being.
  • Anonymous Feedback: Use surveys or suggestion boxes to allow staff to share concerns they may not feel comfortable discussing openly.
  • Active Listening: When staff express concerns, validate their experiences, and commit to finding solutions. 

    2. Optimize Workflows

Most of us are aware that this is one of the main reasons for burnout – clerical duties and paperwork. Streamlining workflows not only enhances productivity but also alleviates stress. There are positive changes on the horizon here as much work is currently being done with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that could dramatically cut down the time spent on administrative duties. Attendees at December 2024 Forbes Healthcare Summit held in New York City were told that AI can improve the effectiveness and affordability of healthcare delivery. Just consider the positive changes that could happen if redundant/non-helpful paperwork alone was cut out of the current equation of daily operations at your practice—this is exciting! While we are waiting to see the changes that may come here, leaders can make sure they:

• • Leverage Technology: Are you optimizing your electronic health records (EHR) systems or automated scheduling software to reduce manual workloads? Stress will be reduced if we look for better and more innovative ways to work. Be open to how AI may bring positive solutions.   
  • Delegate Tasks: Ensure administrative burdens are equitably distributed among team members.
  • Review Processes: Periodically evaluate and refine workflows to eliminate redundancies and inefficiencies.  

    3. Promote Work-Life Balance 

Encourage providers and staff to maintain a healthy balance between their professional and personal lives. 

• • Flexible Scheduling: Offer part-time options, job sharing, or staggered shifts to accommodate personal needs.
  • Enforce Breaks: Ensure staff take regular breaks during shifts to recharge.
  • Encourage Time Off: Advocate for using vacation days and discourage excessive overtime.  

    4. Provide Emotional Support 

Healthcare work often involves significant emotional labor. Offering avenues for emotional support can mitigate this burden.  

• • Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs): Provide access to counseling or therapy services. 
  • Peer Support Groups: Facilitate regular meetings where staff can share experiences and coping strategies.
  • Mindfulness Training: Introduce workshops or resources on mindfulness and stress management techniques. 

    5. Recognize and Reward Efforts 

Acknowledging hard work and dedication can significantly boost morale and counteract burnout.  

• • Celebrate Achievements: Small tokens of appreciation should be used to recognize milestones, such as patient satisfaction scores or years of service.
  • Personalized Appreciation: It’s important to thank staff individually for their unique contributions. 
  • Incentive Programs: Implement bonuses or other rewards for exceptional performance.  

    6. Invest in Professional Development 

Providing opportunities for growth and learning can reinvigorate staff and give them a sense of purpose.  

• • Training and Certifications: Offer courses or certifications relevant to their roles.
  • Career Pathing: Help staff identify and pursue career advancement opportunities within the practice.
  • Conferences and Seminars: Encourage attendance at industry events to expand their professional networks and knowledge base. 

     7. Cultivate a Positive Work Culture 

A supportive and inclusive culture can be a powerful antidote to burnout. 

• • Team-Building Activities: Host regular events to strengthen relationships and foster camaraderie. 
  • Inclusive Decision-Making: Involve staff in decisions that affect their roles or the practice.
  • Encourage Gratitude: Implement practices like gratitude boards or end-of-shift shout-outs to highlight positive moments. 

     8. Monitor Workloads and Staffing Levels

Excessive workloads are a significant contributor to burnout. Managing them effectively is critical.

• • Hire Adequately: Ensure staffing levels meet patient demand and hire temporary staff during peak periods.
  • Adjust Workloads: Redistribute tasks during particularly demanding times to avoid overburdening individuals.
  • Monitor Overtime: Limit excessive overtime to prevent exhaustion.
  • Healthy Snacks: Stock the break room with nutritious food options.
  • Health Screenings: Provide regular health checks to encourage preventive care. 

As a practice leader, your actions set the tone for the entire team, and your own self-care can help to keep your energy up and your motivation strong.

• • Model Work-Life Balance: Take breaks, avoid excessive overtime, and use your vacation days.
  • Practice Self-Care: Demonstrate the importance of self-care by prioritizing your physical and mental health.
  • Be Approachable: Maintain an open-door policy and foster trust with your team. 

The Benefits of Addressing Burnout 

Burnout is hugely costly to an organization's bottom line, and combatting it is not just a compassionate choice—it’s strategic. Practices that prioritize staff well-being see benefits such as: 

• Higher Retention Rates: Reducing turnover saves time and resources spent on recruitment.
• Enhanced Patient Care: Engaged and energized staff deliver better patient outcomes. 
• Improved Morale: A supportive environment fosters a positive and productive workplace culture. 
• Financial Savings: Preventing burnout reduces costs associated with absenteeism, errors, and inefficiencies. 

Healthcare leaders can help build a thriving, compassionate, and sustainable practice with open communication, optimized workflows, work-life balance, and emotional and professional development for your team. 

Resources:   

2024 Forbes Healthcare Summit | How Hospitals Can Prevent And Manage Clinician Burnout:  https://www.forbes.com/video/4a49c959-e713-4955-8b87-f2b803c15de1/2024-forbes-healthcare-summit--how-hospitals-can-prevent-and-manage-clinician-burnout/ 

American Medical Association (AMA):   https://amaalliance.org/physician-burnout/ 

Chief Healthcare Exec – references Medscape 2024 Burnout Report:  https://www.chiefhealthcareexecutive.com/view/nearly-half-of-doctors-report-burnout-but-there-is-some-progress-survey-finds 

Frontiers in Psychology: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1408006/full 

The opinions and views expressed in blog posts on Curi’s site belong to and are solely those of the individual author, and do not necessarily reflect those of Curi Advisory or Curi Advisory’s parent or affiliated companies or their members, insureds, clients, customers, or partners. This post is for informational purposes only and it should not be construed or relied upon as medical advice.  If medical care is needed, please consult a qualified professional.

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