Burnout causes real suffering among people who have dedicated their careers to preventing and relieving the suffering of others. Clinicians and trainees experiencing burnout are more likely to develop alcohol abuse/dependence and are at an increased risk of developing depression and suicidal ideation.
While effects of burnout on the health and well-being of individual clinicians and trainees are alarming, the effects on patient safety and organizational outcomes can also be severe. Clinician burnout is linked to lower patient satisfaction and, in rare cases, medical errors. Burnout is associated with increased turnover and productivity loss at the national level that equates, by one estimate, to eliminating the graduating classes of seven medical schools. These strains have serious implications for health care organizations, insurers, and patients and potentially severe ramifications for the sustainability of our health system.
Browse the topics below to learn more about the widespread effects of clinician burnout.