Cheryl Pegus, MD: Hi. I'm Cheryl Pegus, cardiologist, president of Caluent, and clinical professor of medicine and population health at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. Burnout is rampant, and it's having a significant impact on physicians and, in some cases, their patients. What exactly is burnout? It's been defined as emotional exhaustion, long-term irresolvable job stress, a sense of being overwhelmed, depersonalization, and a loss of a sense of personal accomplishment.
Medscape did a physician lifestyle report in 2017, and it showed that some of the leading causes of burnout include: too many bureaucratic tasks, too many hours at work, feeling like just a cog in the wheel, dealing with electronic medical records (EMRs), not earning enough money, insurance issues, difficult patients, and, of course, many other causes.
Who's feeling it the most? Overall, 51% of physicians report feeling burned out, although some specialists experience it more than others. The highest levels of burnout were reported among emergency physicians, obstetricians/gynecologists, family physicians, and internists. Note: This was a substantial rise from 2013, when the figure was only 40%. We've gone from 40% to 51%. Here to discuss this with us are Dr Gabriel Sara, an oncologist and the executive director of patient services at Mount Sinai Health System, and Dr Ramon Shaw, a hospitalist physician from NYU Langone Medical Center and the medical director of the Department of Care Management and Care Transitions at NYU Langone.
