The country’s healthcare workers drew deserved praise for putting themselves on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the stress and burnout they continue to suffer during even more normal times will not go away by itself, further weakening an already overwhelmed healthcare system. To attract and retain critical healthcare workers, medical facilities need to begin seriously addressing the issue of burnout – which U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy identifies as one of his top priorities. Doing so will not only benefit workers but also go a long way toward improving patient outcomes.
Reduce Workloads
It’s no secret that excessive workloads are ubiquitous within healthcare and often lead to both burnout and attrition among employees. But the pandemic brought the extreme to excess.
Congress is currently working to grow the size of the medical profession by encouraging access to low-cost educational options, like community college, and the expansion of existing programs, such as the National Health Service Corps, which provides loan forgiveness options and trains healthcare professionals to work in underserved areas. In addition, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices launched an initiative in 2022 to help states grow their healthcare workforces and reduce attrition among the existing population of medical workers.
Hospitals can support these efforts by increasing the number of training slots they offer, such as residency positions, and focusing on primary-care positions where the need is perhaps greatest. This will help expand the healthcare workforce, reduce the load hindering existing staff, and increase the likelihood that patients receive better care.
Additionally, the expansion of telemedicine services has a massive opportunity to reduce workloads. Telemedicine not only benefits providers but also improves healthcare access in vulnerable communities where hospitals and community health clinics are often scarce. Many healthcare workers had their first introduction to telemedicine during the pandemic, and many in the profession report that it allows for higher productivity and a better work-life balance, while also reducing the likelihood of acquiring communicable diseases such as COVID-19.
From a business perspective, investing in the well-being of healthcare providers helps attract and retain workers, decreases sick days, boosts job performance, and improves employee morale and job satisfaction.
Bolster Your Staff with Better Benefits
Improving fringe benefits for medical professionals is another way healthcare systems could attract and retain top talent and reduce burnout. But sadly, many institutions fall short in this area.
Childcare is one of the most stressful issues for parents in the workforce, but only one-third of US hospitals offer such services. And even when they do, access is often limited or available only on a backup basis. By providing on-site childcare, healthcare systems can make it easier for their employees to balance both work and family responsibilities. It would drastically reduce employee anxiety and allow them to focus on providing the highest quality of care to their patients.
Childcare is only one stressor impacting worker burnout and mass turnover. To address the situation, employers can offer regular training to help overwhelmed workers manage their stress levels. Stress management tools help employees maintain their physical and emotional well-being, reduce their risk of burnout, and enhance overall performance. This training can include strategies for coping with the emotional and physical demands of their jobs, mindfulness practices, breathing exercises, and time management techniques.
Many hospitals and residency programs offer training by way of orientation and ground rounds. But such training isn’t helpful if there isn’t time to take advantage of its benefits. Incorporating these practices into hospital procedures, medical team dynamics, and/or all healthcare work trainings (e.g., integrating Emergency Medicine simulation training with stress management training for staff) would demonstrate to healthcare workers that this is a core principle of an institution's practice of care, not simply checking a box and moving on.
Other pressing concerns that have particularly come to light during the pandemic are drug addiction, mental health issues, and suicide among healthcare workers, largely attributable to high levels of stress, physical pain, and emotional exhaustion. Healthcare professionals – physicians and nurses in particular – already are among the highest risk groups for suicide. To address this issue, healthcare institutions must provide support to their workers in real-time.
One solution is to establish healthcare clinics in or around hospitals that can provide mental health services, physical therapy, and other forms of care that help workers manage their symptoms and avoid turning to opiates.
Moreover, it’s important to create an environment in which healthcare workers feel comfortable seeking help for their symptoms. This can be achieved by reducing the stigma associated with mental health issues and substance abuse. Healthcare institutions should provide education to their staff on the risks associated with opiates and how to recognize signs of addiction. They should also provide access to resources like employee assistance programs, support groups, and counseling services.
Prioritize Well-Being
As healthcare professionals have the greatest insights into their own burnout, hospital infrastructure, and patient needs, these individuals need a seat at the table to share their experiences and expertise in conversations about well-being and safety beyond just pay raises.
Furthermore, establishing administrative accountability for burnout has already been tested and proven to work, with some medical institutions establishing a Chief Wellness Officer (CWO) role. The CWO identifies causes of worker anxiety, partakes in operational decision-making, guides organizational responses in times of crisis, and deploys support resources around workers’ well-being. This entails lowering premium costs and partnering with local organizations to build trust.
Ignoring the issue of burnout among medical professionals will only lead to more departures and further weaken the country’s overwhelmed healthcare system. But by prioritizing the problem as part of administrative accountability, establishing community partnerships, and offering additional benefits, healthcare institutions can be there for the very people who are there for everyone else in times of need, creating a more sustainable healthcare system for us all.
Dr. Roy Reese is a research scientist with more than twenty-five years of experience in examining how behavioral and physical health are influenced by social determinants of health embedded within the community. He is based out of the Atlanta office. Belinda Nelson is an experienced public health professional that was previously a labor organizer for Resident physicians in NYC public hospitals. She is on the Growth Team and is based out of the Brooklyn office.
