Doctor Burnout: Nearly Half of Physicians Report Symptoms

A national survey of physicians finds the prevalence of burnout at an "alarming" level, says a study out Monday. While the medical profession prepares for treating millions of patients who will be newly insured under the health care law, the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.) reports nearly 1 in 2 (45.8%) of the nation's doctors already suffer a symptom of burnout. "The rates are higher than expected," says lead author and physician Tait Shanafelt. "We expected maybe 1 out of 3. Before health care reform takes hold, it's a concern that those docs are already operating at the margins."

Being asked to see more patients and not getting enough time with them create an atmosphere of "being on a hamster wheel," says physician Jeff Cain, president-elect of the American Academy of Family Physicians, which is not associated with the study. "We know when enough time is spent with patients that outcomes improve and costs are down."

Differences varied by specialty: Emergency medicine, general internal medicine, neurology and family medicine reported the highest rates. The authors note other studies show burnout can decrease the quality of care, lead to increased risk for errors and push doctors into early retirement, as well as cause problems in their personal lives...