Hospital administration response to physician stress and burnout

ABSTRACT Recent studies have documented the alarming degree of physician stress and burnout that has affected physician attitudes, behaviors, and performance. Growing dissatisfaction, irritability, and frustration has negatively impacted physician ideals and attitudes which can lead to compromised health care relationships with impaired communication, collaboration, and coordination that can adversely affect satisfaction, clinical performance, and patient outcomes of care. For the most part physicians on their own have a difficult time recognizing or admitting that they are working under stress and burnout conditions, and even if they do, are reluctant to do anything about it. In this regard it is essential for the organization(s) in which the physician is involved with to take a pro- active role in providing support services to help physicians address this issue in a more empathetic, effective, and constructive manner.