Healthcare professionals feel unheard—and it’s making burnout worse
Several aspects that contribute to burnout are within the direct influence of healthcare leaders. Burnout and psychological safety—the feeling or belief that someone is safe to speak up—have been found to be significantly associated with lower levels of burnout and greater process adaptation. Feeling heard might also help mitigate the effects of burnout, enabling adaptation during periods of uncertainty.
These findings support the question of how organizations can listen to help address burnout and support the human aspect of providing care. In a recent Scottsdale Institute webinar on clinician burnout and institutional fatigue, M. Michael Shabot, MD, FACS, FCCM, FACMI emphasizes the importance of clinicians being heard by their healthcare organizations and the relationship to burnout. “I recently read a paper that explained how nurses and pharmacists don’t believe they’re being heard by leadership in their organization. This has a direct impact on the organization in terms of turnover.”
Frontline workers want authentic responses to their needs
Administrators should prioritize identifying risk and protective factors at both the individual and organizational level. Findings should in turn inform the implementation of effective methods of nurturing self-efficacy and resilience among frontline workers. Fortunately, most leaders will find that they have a range of opportunities in creating cultures that prioritize well-being. This should start with reviewing workplace policies, priorities, and practices to better understand how they potentially negatively impact worker well-being.
The key to all this will be authenticity in listening. Bradley Anawalt, MD illustrates what this can look like. “Leaders need to be authentic in the way they listen and respond and create a bidirectional communication that demonstrates hearing. So, for example, if an organization can’t take on a certain initiative because of cost, be up front about that in a clear and honest way.”
Personalized education and improved workflows can help
Authenticity often starts with personalization and tangible improvements to the day-to-day worker experience. Personalized optimization of the EHR can reduce burnout in ambulatory care providers when it leverages a one-on-one nature in training.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has also addressed physician burnout through its STEPS ForwardTM program. It recommends changes in four specific areas including:
- Call management
- Inbox management and coverage
- Decompressed clinic schedules
- Sharing care responsibilities
According to Bradley Anawalt, MD, “Investment in personalized education and response to individual clinicians requires investment, but it will pay off immeasurably with improved satisfaction and efficiency.”
