Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 2, 2018

By Andrea Nagel A physician’s goal is always to provide the best care possible for his or her patient, whether it be in a clinic visit, hospital setting or during surgery. With increased demands at work, many providers are feeling more stress and pressure, leading to higher burnout rates among physicians nationwide. “Around the same time Mayo Clinic started efforts to address physician burnout about a year ago, I had just done a presentation about the issue locally,” said Thomas deTar, M.D., St. Joseph’s Ear, Nose, Throat & Allergy Clinic. “Because of this, I joined a group of providers from Kootenai, and together we attended a conference at Mayo Clinic as part of their Physician Wellness Collaborative.” The collaborative collected data from surveys of physicians at participating hospitals and presented it at the conference. After reviewing the data, the group discussed approaches to decrease burnout and address the work-life balance of physicians. “Together we were able to assess the main drivers of burnout and look for input from a diverse group of providers,” Dr. deTar said. “It gave us a good starting point to build on as we move forward. What we found is that our experience here is very similar to the national average.” Dr. deTar explained that physician burnout is nearly two times that of the national average in other professions. Burnout can lead to depersonalization in care for patients, lack of a sense of accomplishment and exhaustion. Not only does this carry over into the overall quality of life of physicians, but it can also be detrimental to the patient experience, and the level of care they receive. Stress relief Someof themajor drivers of physician burnout includeburdenof work, lack of sleep, frequencyof beingon call, lack of control inworkloador schedule, and increaseddocumentationrequirements. “Because some of these issues are broader, systematic issues that can’t be solved quickly, there was a lot of focus on ways to improve personal resilience,” Prescription for Work-Life Balance Community physicians participate in a wellness collaborative through Mayo Clinic Care Network Dr. deTar said. “While we’re certainly working on ways to improve the documentation process and scheduling, there are some things we can all do in our personal and work lives to relieve the impacts of stress and burnout.” In addition to having a healthy diet and exercising, the group discussed other ways to boost mood and relieve stress: simple things like taking time to practice gratitude; not checking work email at home; and connecting with family in a heartfelt way can help cultivate meaning and happiness. Pilot groups are currently underway, testing ways to reduce redundancies, lower stress and increase access to confidential counseling services. The results from these groups and others will help pave the way for reform in the physician work environment. “Patient health and safety is tied to physician health; that’s the driving force behind this,” Dr. deTar said. “We want physicians to be happy and enjoy their work. We will all be better care providers because of it.” Decrease Burnout inYour Life Dr. deTar suggests small things to decrease stress and burnout during your workday. • Spend a few minutes each morning practicing gratitude, whether by meditating or journaling. Studies show that a positive morning boost can carry on throughout the day. • If you experience a morning lull, spend a couple of minutes reliving happy moments or reflecting on uplifting thoughts— something unrelated to work. • Exercise at midday. It makes you feel more in control of your schedule and gives you an energy boost. • Finish checking your email before entering your home for the evening. It keeps you present in your home life and gives your mind a break from the office. • Greet your loved ones at the door or outside if you beat them home. It creates a greater emotional bond and helps create more separation from work. Better together Learn more about Kootenai Health’s membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network by visiting KH.org/mayo . Thomas deTar, M.D. KH . ORG 17