As physician burnout and turnover remains high, organizations continue looking for ways to keep employees satisfied.
It is important to prioritize physician well-being not only to keep workers on staff but also to help the practice as a business, bring recognition to the institution and preserve the mental health of healthcare professionals.
The American Medical Association has highlighted some key ways to do that in a Jan. 2 report.
Here are seven ways to prioritize physician well-being in 2024, per the AMA:
1. Cap workloads, patient volume allowance and panel sizes for individual physicians. When setting full-time work schedules, take work that is not patient facing into account.
2. When possible, give physicians control over when and how they work. Do not micromanage daily schedules, vacation time or on-call hours.
3. Make sure staffing ratios are adequate to properly support physicians. Implement team-based care workflows to increase both teamwork and efficiency.
4. Match physician and care team members with tasks that match their training and passions. Ensure opportunities and funding for research, leadership, development and education.
5. Maintain a strong organizational culture by eliminating hierarchies and keeping communication and feedback lines open. Promote psychological safety and equity for physicians.
6. Provide telehealth and administrative day opportunities that allow physicians to work from home.
7. Establish formal social support systems and programs. Provide common spaces and promote congeniality between physicians.