Common causes of stress in doctors — and how to manage stress at your practice

If you’re a physician, chances are high you’re experiencing some signs or symptoms of burnout. Although down from 53% in 2022, 48.2% of physicians reported experiencing at least one symptom of burnout in 2023, according to American Medical Association research.

What is physician burnout? According to the World Health Organization, “Burn-out is a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” When it comes to the medical field, physicians are at a high risk for burnout due to the long hours and high-stress nature of their jobs. 

Here are several common causes of stress in doctors and ways to help alleviate physician burnout. 

Running a successful practice is hard work, and so is the accompanying administrative load. Almost two-thirds (62%) of doctors report that having too many bureaucratic tasks, like charting and paperwork, is the leading contributor to their burnout, according to Medscape's 2024 Physician Burnout & Depression Report. A Medscape report on compensation found that on average, physicians spent 15.5 hours per week on paperwork and administration. 

Respondents in Tebra's State of Independent Practice Ownership report ranked reducing administrative burdens as one of their top issues.

While essential to the operations of the practice, managing administrative tasks is not why physicians pursue a career in medicine. The more time physicians spend on paperwork, the less time they spend seeing patients, spending time with family, or resting and recharging. 

Physicians tend to be passionate about their patients, but even the most dedicated professionals need time away from work. According to Tebra's X, more than one-quarter (29%) of private practice doctors report that heavy workloads and long hours at work contributing to their burnout.

And with the average physician working around 50 hours a week, with many physicians and surgeons working irregular and overnight hours or being on call, it’s no surprise that more than a quarter of doctors say that working long hours is one of the top challenges of their job. 

EHRs are supposed to make life easier, so it’s frustrating when they become a main cause of stress for doctors. In a recent Tebra survey about patient interaction time, providers reported spending 9 minutes per patient charting notes in their EHR software.

Eliminate some of your heavy workload by hiring a medical scribe. This person will join you in patient appointments and take notes, so you can focus solely on care.

Your medical scribe can also assist with a variety of administrative tasks, such as updating EHRs, coordinating referrals, and obtaining medical records from other practices. In offloading some of your administrative tasks, hiring a scribe can be an effective way to battle physician burnout. 

Running a successful practice requires good business acumen and a host of support staff. And while your front office staff deals with the administrative work day to day, it’s likely that you have to help with the overflow. 

By automating some of your front office’s tasks with the right tools and tech, you increase the likelihood that they can handle their full workload and focus on more important tasks. For example, implementing online scheduling and automatic appointment confirmation can save tens of hours each week. 

When these tasks are off their plates, your staff will have the capacity to take on some — or all — of the administrative responsibilities you were handling. Consequently, you’ll be able to increase the amount of time you spend with patients while reducing your work hours.

Your electronic health record (EHR) should make your life easier, so enhance it with a software platform that supports the needs of your practice. Integrated EHRs offer a variety of helpful functionality, like allowing patients to see your real-time availability, automating appointment reminders, and sending post-appointment patient feedback and review requests.

This allows your practice to increase bookings, be more efficient and productive, and gain a better reputation in the patient community.

By addressing the common causes of physician burnout and implementing solutions, practices can create a more sustainable and supportive work environment for their doctors. Reducing administrative burdens, managing work hours effectively, and optimizing health information technology are essential steps in alleviating the stress that leads to burnout.

By taking proactive measures, practices not only improve the well-being of their physicians but also enhance patient care and overall efficiency. Eliminate your physician burnout and causes of stress in doctors while taking your practice to the next level.