San Antonio – Doctor burnout hit a peak during COVID-19. Surveys by the American Medical Association show some improvements in how doctors are feeling.
In 2021, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio started to take steps to improve their physician’s wellbeing.
Sylvia Bostros-Brey, MD assistant dean for faculty and professor at the Long School of Medicine UT Health San Antonio, said the first few steps were to take a survey to get a pulse of how doctors were feeling and what the organization could do to begin to mitigate that.
“Our leaders implemented a listening campaign, and that was to be able to understand what the problems were,” she said.
It was followed by solutions, including staffing changes and the implementation of AI technology to help doctors spend less of their off time doing work.
“What we’re trying to do is give physicians the tools to be able to come to work each day ready to meet their patients with that joy that brought them to medicine in the first place, too,” Bostros-Brey said.
She said it has made a difference; however, there are ongoing changes that they have to help doctors continue to adjust to.
The AMA listed UT Health San Antonio among 62 health systems nationwide with the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program recognition.
A recent JAMA Network study showed over 32% of physicians were ready to leave their careers in the next two years due to burnout. The Association of American Medical Colleges says the US will face a physician shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036.
Bostros-Brey said signs of exhaustion, lack of motivation, and lack of empathy are some of the symptoms that a doctor is burned out. The hope is that ongoing changes by organizations can help motivate them and bring back the joy in medicine.
“I think when you walk into your doctor’s office, and your doctor looks well-rested and relaxed and can like pay attention to you, and you feel that, that has a lot to do with that individual and the system that they’re working in,” she said.
Showing up to your doctor’s office with questions ready, a smile and some grace is also appreciated, she said.