Burned out doctors can pose a risk to their patients’ health

Does your doctor seem like they’re “checked out” even when they’re in the room with you? Do they seem inattentive, distracted and unable to remember important details about your condition?

Your doctor may be suffering from burnout. Despite all the years they may have put into building their practices and professional reputations, the long-term stress of modern medical practices is thought to affect 50% or more of physicians at some point in their careers.

That’s very dangerous for their patients. Not only is it harder for a doctor with burnout to function well, some of the problems in the medical arena that cause burnout among the staff can also negatively affect patient care.

What leads to burnout among physicians?

Doctors face all of the family and personal pressures that other people face, plus they have to contend with:

• Chaotic environments: Busy practices have a lot of “moving parts” in the workflow that depend on assorted staff members all doing their jobs. When there’s a breakdown, that puts more strain on the doctors as they try to practice medicine.
• Time constraints: Doctors can’t control the pace at which they work, and many feel that they aren’t given enough time, by far, to adequately examine patients or follow-up.
• Electronic health records: While indispensable to modern medicine, electronic health records can be a huge source of frustration and stress for doctors. Even when they work 100% correctly, doctors can find themselves entering documentation more than actually diagnosing and treating patients.

While there have been periodic calls for reforms in the medical field that would ease physician stress and reduce burnout, there’s a long way to go.

Were you injured by a negligent physician?

A doctor that’s distracted, stressed-out or emotionally removed from their job can easily make a serious mistake. If you were injured or a loved one was killed by a doctor’s negligence, you have to protect your future. An experienced legal advocate can help you determine whether you have a viable medical malpractice claim.