80 Percent of Primary Care Clinicians Say Burnout is at an All-Time High
The Larry A. Green Center, in collaboration with the Primary Care Collaborative (PCC) and 3rd Conversation, released new data showing that more than 80 percent of primary care clinicians say professional burnout is at an all-time high, and only one in five feels they have the resources or support needed to cope with COVID-19-related stress. Alarmingly, 65 percent of clinicians also report that their own families are feeling the impacts of these stress levels.
This data comes at a time when financial burdens for primary care practices are at record levels, with face-to-face patient volume down by 50 percent, and many offices forced to close. In addition, while telehealth has helped facilitate some patient visits, a significant percentage of clinicians have been denied reimbursement for telehealth visits. In addition, for many practices, virtual health is not making up economically for the loss of face-to-face visits.
Clinician survey respondents shared additional insights into the disturbing reality they are facing:
- I am becoming depressed with each passing day. I think about killing myself every day. – Washington
- I feel like giving up. I care so much for my patients but how long can I keep this up? – Delaware
- I suspect that in another year, the family medicine practice I served over the past 23 years will be closed. – Wisconsin
- Physician suicide, burnout, I’m seeing it happen. – Michigan
- Nerve wracking and depressing as hours get cut back and my daughter wonders if I will get COVID-19 and die. – Texas
- No one cares. We are in this alone. – Illinois
- I feel like I was hung out to dry. Take chances with my health or abandon my patients were my only choices. – New York.
- Burnout is significant. Compounded by the enormous emotional weight will be dangerous. Please help. – Connecticut
- Our leadership doesn’t care about us. – Michigan
- We are alone, patients are alone, we spend all our financial savings, and no one cares for us. – Massachusetts