Eighty-two percent of physicians say fear of professional consequences keeps them from seeking mental health treatment, according to a new survey from Sermo, a healthcare provider engagement platform.
“As physicians, we are our best advocates and we need to protect ourselves from ourselves because when there’s work to do, we’re going to do it,” Zachary Horne, MD, a radiation oncologist with the Allegheny Health Network Cancer Institute at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, said in March 31 news release from Sermo. “That’s why we got into medicine in the first place. We’re here to take care of people, but we need to set some boundaries and we need to have allies with our administration to be able to achieve that goal.”
Sermo’s survey of over 600 physicians found that burnout remains widespread, with 75% of respondents currently experiencing it.
Here are five key takeaways:
1. Administrative burden remains the leading cause of burnout, with 67% of physicians naming it their top concern. Flexible work arrangements came in second, cited by 56% of respondents, underscoring a growing need for work-life balance.
2. Burnout is pushing many physicians to consider new paths, with 43% actively exploring hybrid or nonclinical roles outside of full-time practice.
3. Forty-two percent of physicians reported feeling less empathetic toward patients, and 45% said they’ve reduced communication outside of regular hours.
4. The majority, 79%, believe their health systems are failing to recognize or address “quiet quitting” among clinical staff.
5. Many physicians are already pulling back:
- 43% have minimized documentation efforts.
- 37% have reduced patient hours.
- 43% declined leadership roles.
- 37% avoided professional development opportunities.
- Only 22% reported taking more time off, despite ongoing burnout.
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