The Physician Philosopher Podcast
The Problematic State of Medicine
With today’s episode, we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of a podcast, you’re getting a sneak peek of the audiobook version of my latest book, “Determined: How Burned Out Doctors Can Thrive in a Broken Medical System.”
Yes, we’re talking burnout – a topic very familiar to you as a medical professional. It’s messy, it’s layered, and it’s part of the problematic state of medicine.
Burnout is twice as high in physicians versus the general population. Not only is that statistic alarming, but the potential consequences of burnout on medical professionals are staggering. Higher rates of substance and alcohol use, depression, and suicide are not uncommon problems in medicine.
On the systematic front, burnout has been linked with higher physician turnover, worse patient care and outcomes, decreased patient satisfaction, higher healthcare costs, and increased risk for major medical errors.
Burnout is costly for physicians and for the patients under our care.
But as Albert Einstein once wisely said, “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”
How do we start addressing the problems with medicine?
Medscape’s 2021 survey showed us that burnout consists of a lack of autonomy, depersonalization, and a perceived lack of accomplishment.
So if we conclude that burnout is caused by a lack of autonomy, belonging, and perceived competence, then it turns out that the solution to burnout is the opposite. Empower physicians to reclaim their autonomy, and create communities where doctors feel a deep sense of belonging and increase perceived competence.
You’ll Learn:
- The top 5 reasons physicians feel burned out
- Why we need greater focus on personal and professional autonomy in medicine
- How compassion serves as a key factor in burnout recovery and systematic change
- The role of purpose and how it deepens our professional experience
- What the Health Professional Wellness Hierarchy consists of and why it matters
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TPP
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