Physician burnout is a pressing issue for healthcare organizations today as physicians are increasingly succumbing to the stress of their jobs.
A Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic survey in 2015 showed physicians reporting at least one burnout symptom increased from 46 percent in 2011 to 54 percent in 2014, according to a Star Tribune report.
Physician burnout includes emotional exhaustion and a lack of meaning in work. Common reasons for burnout include stress from adoption of new technology and declining reimbursements, according to the report.
Here are five points on how Minnesota hospitals are combating physician burnout:
1. Mayo Clinic established company-sponsored dinners, where physicians can meet and discuss their causes of burnout and ways to mitigate stress.
2. More than 1,000 physicians and research scientists at Mayo Clinic signed up for the dinner groups program since it launched last year, according to the report.
3. Buffalo (Minn.) Hospital officials launched programs to improve resiliency as well as training for physicians on how to handle stress.
4. Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis remodeled a part of its facility into a wellness center, which includes space for exercise and yoga.
5. The Minnesota Hospital Association is conducting its first statewide survey on healthcare provider burnout and plans to release the results in the next few months.