What it’s best to know:

– 93% of physicians often expertise burnout and spend a mean of 15 additional hours working exterior of regular hours, based on athenahealth's newest Nationwide Doctor Sentiment Survey.

– The athenahealth Doctor Sentiment Survey offers helpful insights into the present state of U.S. healthcare. Addressing the challenges recognized within the analysis is crucial to making sure the well-being of each docs and sufferers, whereas responsibly harnessing the potential of know-how equivalent to AI could be a helpful instrument in enhancing healthcare.

Doctor burnout at all-time highs: athenahealth survey reveals alarming developments

The athenahealth research paints a disturbing image of widespread doctor burnout, fueled by extreme administrative workloads, workers shortages, monetary pressures and rising affected person expectations. This power stress is inflicting many physicians to think about leaving the career altogether, posing a major menace to the way forward for healthcare.

Key findings of the research embody:

– Burnout epidemic: 93% of docs surveyed often expertise burnout, working a mean of 15 additional hours per week exterior regular hours.

– Monetary issues: Solely 38% imagine their follow is financially secure, and half felt unable to ship high quality care because of quantity and price pressures.

– Information overload: Whereas 94% worth correct scientific knowledge, 80% imagine extreme data causes stress and contributes to burnout.

– AI gives promise: 83% see AI as a possible answer, with these optimistic about AI reporting much less burnout and a extra optimistic view of the route of healthcare.

– Issues about human contact: 60% are involved in regards to the lack of human contact with AI, emphasizing the necessity for AI to give attention to administrative duties and never exchange human interplay.

Monetary challenges

The analysis additionally highlights the monetary challenges confronted by many practices, with solely 38% feeling financially safe. This vulnerability usually results in compromises in high quality of care, with half of physicians reporting cases the place quantity and price constraints have prevented them from delivering optimum care.

AI as a possible answer

Regardless of the challenges, there’s a glimmer of hope within the type of AI. 83% of physicians imagine AI can in the end assist clear up most of the issues dealing with healthcare. Regardless of optimism, 40% worry AI is overhyped and won’t dwell as much as expectations, whereas 42% fear it would additional complicate healthcare.

Give attention to options

The analysis highlights the pressing want for options to deal with doctor burnout and the monetary challenges practices face. This contains:

– Discount of administrative burdens: Streamlining workflows and utilizing know-how to unencumber physicians' time for affected person care.

– Enhancing monetary sustainability: Exploring different fee fashions and offering assets to assist practices handle prices successfully.

– Utilizing AI responsibly: Implementing AI options that enhance effectivity and accuracy whereas sustaining the human connection in healthcare.

“One of many greatest issues amongst physicians relating to AI is the potential lack of human contact; that’s an extremely essential sign that we have to take note of,” says Dr. Nele Jessel, Chief Medical Officer of athenahealth. “For physicians to completely profit from know-how as a instrument for enhancing care, they need to expertise extra advantages and fewer further complexities or burdens. If we get this proper, we are going to use the know-how to scale back administrative work and improve effectivity in a method that permits physicians to refocus on their sufferers.”

Methodology

The third athenahealth Doctor Sentiment Survey was carried out on-line in america by The Harris Ballot on behalf of athenahealth from October 23 – November 8, 2023. The web survey interviews lasted roughly 12-13 minutes and had been carried out amongst 1,003 physicians (750 PCPs and 253 Specialists ), of which solely 5 p.c use the athenahealth EPD. The place relevant, outcomes are in comparison with the Baseline survey carried out from January 4 to 26, 2022 amongst 743 practising physicians. athenahealth's sponsorship of the research was not disclosed.