Empowering physician well-being
Answers in Practice
By Faiza Wasif, Associate Director, Practice Management, December 1, 2023
Each month, DermWorld tackles issues “in practice” for dermatologists. This month, practice management staff explains how to navigate burnout in dermatology.
Navigating burnout in dermatology
Burnout is a term that has become familiar to everyone, particularly magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent study in the national burnout survey series, shows that at the end of 2021, nearly 63% of physicians reported symptoms of burnout — up from 38% in 2020. Further, in 2021 professional fulfillment scores experienced a decline, plummeting from 40% in 2020 to 22.4% at the end of 2021. In alignment with this decrease, only 57.5% of physicians expressed their willingness to pursue the medical profession again, a significant drop from the 72.2% recorded in 2020. The significance of burnout or, rather, lack of physician well-being and satisfaction, has a significant impact.
Let’s revisit what defines burnout. Burnout is not simply a temporary feeling of stress or exhaustion. It is not just a bad day at work or feeling tired after a long week. Burnout is not caused by personal weakness or a lack of resilience. Rather it is a chronic state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged stress and overwork, often accompanied by feelings of cynicism, detachment, and a reduced sense of accomplishment. There are individual drivers of burnout as well as system-level drivers. It is important to identify and address both to be able to avoid moral injury, as some frame burnout, to attain well-being and empowerment.
Burnout in dermatology is distinct due to the unique combination of high patient demands, administrative and regulatory burdens, and the emotional impact of skin-related conditions, all within an ever-changing health care environment. Then there is a growing demand for cosmetic procedures, which can be lucrative, but require extensive consultations, careful management of patient expectations, and meticulous attention to detail during the procedures which can be extremely stressful. And of course, dermatologists are not immune from all the other universal symptoms of burnout.
Given these challenges, moving from burnout to a state of well-being is not just crucial — it’s imperative. Improving well-being is generally more achievable and realistic than completely eliminating burnout. Well-being involves a collaborative effort between physicians, organizations, and policymakers to foster a culture of support and resilience, reconnect with purpose, navigate administrative and regulatory challenges, practice self-awareness, seek social support, and make sustainable changes that can lead to a healthier and more balanced professional and personal life.
AADA Practice Management Center
Check out all the Academy’s practice management resources.
The Practice Management Center recently launched revised guidance on improving physician well-being. The new content reframes the discussion from eliminating burnout to improving wellness in a holistic and practical manner. Members can do a wellness assessment using evidence-based tools, understand the drivers behind burnout, and learn how to set themselves and their work environments up for success by cultivating a wellness-centered culture — strengthening shared decision-making with leadership, reviving the enthusiasm to practice dermatology, and continuing to tackle day-to-day administrative burdens.
Further, by equipping dermatologists with guidance on how to change that which is in their control, they can reclaim agency over their professional lives and enhance patient care. Vinh Chung, MD, FAAD member of the AADA Practice Management Committee, and a passionate advocate for physician well-being, focuses on the variables he can control in his practice like building trust with staff and creating a strong team environment. He further directs his efforts toward fortifying the cornerstone of medicine: the patient-doctor relationship rooted in trust and compassion. The new guidance, which Dr. Chung helped develop, centers on these important values and outlines steps that can help shift dermatologists from sense of helplessness to empowerment.
In addition to this new guidance, do not forget that the Practice Management Center provides a diverse array of specialized resources tailored to assist dermatologists and their practices. These resources encompass various aspects of practice management, including educational content, prior authorization resources, MIPS/MACRA guidance, office and EHR optimization, teledermatology support, and more. By embracing these resources, physicians can work toward sustainable well-being, ensuring a more fulfilling professional journey.
Burnout resources
Check out the Academy’s resources.
Additional DermWorld Resources
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