Top factors fueling radiologist burnout and how to address them
New survey data from Medscape explore the top reasons why radiologists say they’re burned out, along with potential solutions to address them.
“Too many hours at work” was the No. 1 answer among burned-out rads, cited by 60% of respondents, the news website reported Friday. “Lack of respect from administrators/employers” also was popular, with 53% of radiologists calling it a key factor.
Other popular answers included “lack of control/autonomy” (40%), too many bureaucratic tasks (37%), and insufficient compensation/salary (33%). The findings are based on an online survey of nearly 5,200 physicians, conducted earlier this year, including about 155 radiologists.
“I don't have time for me," one Tennessee-based radiologist told Medscape. "My physician work is a minimum 60 hours per week, often more than 80 hours."
“I try my best to eat right, exercise regularly, and sleep well, but it's not always possible with a busy work schedule, call shifts, and taking care of my family," added another radiologist from Missouri.
Medscape did not disclose how many of the 155 rads surveyed said they were burned out. Among rads experiencing this workplace fatigue, 59% said “most of it” stems from job stress. That’s compared to 28% who said, “all of it” and 13% who said “some.” Often, burnout is spilling into after hours. About 77% of radiologists said burnout is hurting their personal relationships, versus 23% who said it isn’t.
Nearly 6 in 10 radiologists who reported feeling burned out or depressed said that they have not considered professional care or treatment. That’s compared to about 31% who said they are currently receiving or plan to seek professional help for burnout (14%) or depression (17%). Often, workplaces are not noticing the issue. About 55% of radiologists don’t believe their employer recognizes that burnout is causing problems, compared to 19% who do and 26% who marked “unsure.”
Among those who are burned out, 18% said it is so severe that they are thinking of leaving medicine (5/5 on the scale). Zero rads ranked their burnout as 1 (“it does not interfere with my life”) on a five-point scale, 21% gave a 2, about 37% a 3, and 24% marked 4.
Asked for ways their employers could address burnout, “make work. schedules more manageable” was the No. 1 response, given by 59%. Other popular responses included “lighten patient loads” (43%), increase compensation (40%), boost physician control/autonomy (38%), and “foster greater respect” (34%). Only about 7% said that counseling services or check-ins would help with the problem.
"Addressing physician burnout requires both individual support and meaningful systemic change that restores autonomy, reduces unnecessary administrative burdens, and creates environments where physicians can seek help without fear of stigma," Naima Spradley, MD, a family medicine physician and founder and CEO of Refresh Health, a direct primary care practice in Laurel, Maryland, told Medscape.
Read more about the results here:
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.