HJNO Sep/Oct 2020

46 SEP / OCT 2020 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS MEDICAL SOCIETY COLUMN MEDICAL SOCIETY OPMS and JPMS Look to Provide RESOURCES FOR PHYSICIANS EXPERIENCING BURNOUT While Helping Others Avoid It FOR YEARS, burnout has been a growing problem for physicians, who report its symptoms at twice the rate of U.S. workers in other fields. In fact, at least 44 percent of physicians nationwide experience burnout symptoms. That percentage has certainly grown since the COVID-19 pandemic be- gan to reach Louisiana in late February 2020. The most common drivers of physician burnout include spending too much time at work, and increased focus on labor-in- tensive clerical tasks like paperwork and electronic documentation. In addition, physicians work in high-stress environ- ments, and must make high-stakes deci- sions, which can intensify burnout, and cause other disorders such as anxiety, de- pression, and insomnia. “When physicians believe they are not able to give their patients the care they need, they feel guilty and frustrated,” said Elmore Rigamer, MD, MPA, medical direc- tor for Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, practicing psychiatrist in the Mercy Health System, and consultant with LAMMICO on physician health issues. “The health systems are the major cause of burnout, in my opinion—insurance re- quirements, bureaucratic regulations, patient load, productivity demands, and electronic medical records. Responding to Burnout is a legitimate syndrome defined as a long-term stress reaction marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment. It results from chronic workplace stress, and can lead to energy depletion, exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy.