Paid time off or pretend time off? How doctors can truly unplug while on vacation
Discover why many physicians struggle to fully disconnect during vacations and how this impacts their well-being and the overall healthcare system — along with practical solutions to truly unwind.
At a Glance
- A recent study published in JAMA Network Open revealed that many physicians are not taking enough vacation, with 56.9% taking 15 days or less annually, and 1 in 5 taking 5 days or less. Additionally, even when on vacation, physicians often continue to work, with 70% doing some form of patient-related work
- Physicians work during vacations due to the inability to find coverage, financial concerns, and fear of a backlog of EHR messages
- Effective ways for physicians to unplug include planning ahead, setting boundaries, signing out of work accounts, and engaging in relaxing activities
- Tebra research reveals independent practices offer better work-life balance, with lower burnout rates compared to hospital systems
The summer season is the perfect time for physicians to take a well-deserved vacation. They can unwind with loved ones or go on a solo trip to relax and reset from a taxing profession. But despite the many benefits of vacationing, many physicians aren’t going, or if they do, they aren’t able to fully detach from work — which leads to burnout.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open revealed that many physicians aren’t taking time off, or they're working during vacations. It revealed alarming statistics that indicate many physicians are taking “pretend time off” from work rather than fully disconnecting.
Here are some key insights from the study:
- 56.9% of American physicians only took 15 days of vacation or less per year. In addition, 1 in 5 (20%) physicians said they took 5 days or less of vacation per year.
- Physicians who take vacation are not completely unplugging, making them unable to fully recharge. Seventy percent of physicians reported doing some form of patient-related work on a typical vacation day, and more than 30% did 30 minutes of work per vacation day.
- Female physicians were less likely than male physicians to take more than 3 weeks of vacation. Female physicians were more likely than male physicians to perform 30 or more minutes of work on vacation per day.
- Less than one-half of physicians reported having full coverage for the EHR inbox during vacation.
- Physicians in family medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, general internal medicine, and emergency medicine were less likely to take more than 3 weeks of vacation.
- Physicians who took more than 3 weeks of vacation per year had lower rates of burnout than those who took less vacation.
Pretend time off is an issue that can only worsen over time if physician burnout is not addressed.
Reasons why doctors aren’t taking vacations or are working on vacations
The JAMA study also revealed physicians didn’t take vacations or worked on vacation because they were:
- Unable to find someone to cover clinical responsibilities.
- Worried about the financial impact of taking a vacation.
- Concerned about returning to work with a higher volume of EHR messages.
These factors were linked to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, lower professional fulfillment, and physician burnout.
Cost of burnout on healthcare organizations
When physicians cannot take time off or feel the need to work during vacation, they can experience burnout, which can financially impact healthcare organizations.
According to a 2019 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine, physician burnout is estimated to cost the healthcare industry at least $4.6 billion yearly, attributed to turnover and reduced clinical hours.
Another study found that the United States healthcare system faced economic challenges due to higher recruitment expenses and the possibility of a physician having an early permanent exit from the medical practice.
Ways doctors can actually unplug while on vacation
When you let your work creep into your vacation, it can increase your chances of burnout, which could impact patient care and the healthcare system. That said, it is crucial to find ways to separate yourself from work when you’re on vacation.
Ryan Doyle, DDS of Capitol Dental, shares ways you can disconnect from work while on vacation:
- Plan ahead: “Ensure all patient care and administrative tasks are up to date before leaving,” says Dr. Doyle. Preparing ahead of your vacation can put your mind at ease and ensure that you don’t leave your colleagues with a heavier workload.
- Set boundaries: Creating boundaries is key to having a distraction-free vacation from work. “Inform patients and staff of your unavailability and provide them with an emergency contact,” Dr. Doyle says. Also, explain to what extent anyone from work should contact you in an emergency.
- Sign out of your work accounts: It can be tempting to check your inbox while you’re on vacation out of pure curiosity or to keep it at 0 for when you return. Dr. Doyle recommends disconnecting digitally from the workplace, which you can do by setting an “out of the office” email response and turning off notifications.
- Take part in relaxing activities: Vacationing should be a time to relax and reset. Make sure to engage in activities that take your mind off patients and staff. “Pursue hobbies, spend time with loved ones, and focus on self-care,” Dr. Doyle says.
Also, it can be helpful to remind people that you’ll be OOO. Although you’ve submitted your request for PTO and received approval, your coworkers may forget when you’ll be on vacation. Consider sending a reminder a day or two before you depart for vacation.
“Pursue hobbies, spend time with loved ones, and focus on self-care.”
How independent practices can help with work/life balance
Addressing physician burnout should not be left to physicians to resolve independently. It also requires employers to create an environment that encourages a healthy work-life balance for its providers.
Research suggests that independent practices may be the cure to addressing physician burnout in the workplace.
Our State of Independent Practice Ownership reported that 42% of hospital system employees are considering switching to private practice for a better work-life balance. Also, Tebra's 2023 Independent Healthcare vs. Corporate and Health System-Based Providers Survey research found providers who work at independent practices experience less burnout than those at health systems. 15% of independent providers Tebra surveyed said they are not at all burned out — while 100% of health-system-based providers reported varying degrees of burnout.
How independent healthcare practices can combat burnout
Aside from a healthier work-life balance for physicians, independent practices can also support employees by creating a workplace where strong personal relationships and opportunities can thrive.
Independent practice owners can address burnout by implementing the following strategies:
- Embracing new digital technologies to improve practice automation.
- Implementing the L.E.A.D. (listening, encouragement, acknowledgment, and development) approach to ensure staff feel supported and are offered opportunities to grow.
- Optimizing patient access to in-person and online medical services.
- Encouraging stronger relationships between patients and staff to foster trust and loyalty.
Are you an independent practice owner looking to compete with large healthcare systems? Take a look at our independent provider playbook to get insight on how you can take your practice to the next level.
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