I just spent two days at the Florida Medical Association Annual Meeting. We were there to help educate the physicians on real asset investing. I met many interesting people and likely started some new and exciting relationships. Many of the physicians stopped to talk to us about real estate investing and the benefits of passive cash flow, but there was a troubling undertone that permeated many of the conversations. A startling number of these doctors admitted that they were “burned out” to some degree with the practice of medicine.
Often, I have had doctors confide in me that they are unhappy with medicine. One 58-year-old family practice doctor once told me that he “hated the business of medicine” but loved taking care of his patients. I have asked others if they would, or could, enjoy medicine if the documentation burdens and the micromanagement were removed. Almost 100 percent say that they would love to practice medicine the way they were trained, which is to put the patient first.
While I am familiar with physician burnout, I was unaware of its pervasiveness. According to a 2018 Medscape survey, physician burnout has reached epidemic proportions and is above 50 percent. A 2015 Mayo Clinic article compared physician surveys from 2011 and 2014 and found that burnout increased from 45 percent to 54 percent during those three years. Work-life balance was also significantly decreased during that time. These are staggering numbers. How did this occur and what can be done?
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