Recommended Strategies for Physician Burnout, a Well-Recognized Escalating Global Crisis Among Neurologists

Abstract

Several indexes are used to classify physician burnout, with the Maslach Burnout Inventory currently being the most widely accepted. This index measures physician burnout based on emotional exhaustion, detachment from work, and lack of personal achievement. The overall percentage of physicians with burnout is estimated to be around 40%, but the proportion varies between specialties. Neurology currently has the second-highest rate of burnout and is projected to eventually take the top position. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview focusing on the causes and ramifications of burnout and possible strategies for addressing the crisis. Several factors contribute to burnout among neurologist, including psychological trauma associated with patient care and a lack of respect compared to other specialties. Various interventions have been proposed for reducing burnout, and this article explores the feasibility of some of them. Burnout not only impacts the physician but also has adverse effects on the overall quality of patient care and places a strain on the health-care system. Burnout has only recently been recognized and accepted as a health crisis globally, and hence most of the proposed action plans have not been validated. More studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of such interventions.

The Mental Well-Being of Frontline Physicians Working in Civil Wars Under Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Conditions

“…It should also be emphasized that psychological distress and mental fatigue can affect a person's work performance, increasing the risk of medical error, which not only affects physicians but also has adverse effects on the quality of care for patients. This presents a potentially catastrophic effect on the health-care system, increasing the risk for patients as physicians attempt to decrease their working hours or change careers to find less stressful employment ( 54 – 56 ). Burnout affects physicians' and patients' personal lives and has many negative consequences for healthcare-related issues, such as physicians becoming less interested in their work and experiencing mental fatigue, which increases the probability of diagnostic errors, leads to unsafe patient environments, and puts physicians at higher risk of psychological trauma ( 56 ).…”

An Exploration Into Patients’ Experiences That Make Them Feel Safe During Hospitalization: A Qualitative Study

“…38 Shortage of manpower is related to burnout of medical personnel. 39 40 Previous research shows that clinicians maintain patient safety despite overwork. 41 This is a problem that cannot be solved by single medical personnel; it is, thus, necessary to secure and deploy sufficient personnel at the institution and national level.…”

Training Characteristics, Personal Factors and Coping Strategies Associated with Burnout in Junior Doctors: A Multi-Center Study

“…As coping strategies explained 5.4% of the variance in burnout development [ 56 ], our data further supports the value of individuals-targeted intervention alongside organization-directed intervention [ 7 , 57 ]. Described individuals-targeted intervention includes stress management, self-care efforts, coping, and mindfulness training [ 7 , 58 ]. Educational intervention such as coping skills training have shown some effectiveness in enhancing resilience [ 59 ] and should be integrated in the personal development programs.…”