Medscape assessed physician burnout and depression rates in its "National Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2018." The survey included 15,000-plus physicians across 29 specialties.
Forty-eight percent of women reported burnout compared to 38 percent of men. Additionally, burnout spiked among physicians aged 45 to 54 years, with 50 percent reporting burnout.
The surveyed physicians reported the following as avenues for reducing burnout:
• Increased compensation to avoid financial stress — 35 percent
• More management work schedule — 31 percent
• Decreased government regulations — 27 percent
• More reasonable patient loads — 24 percent
• Increased control/autonomy — 23 percent
• Greater respect from administrators/employers, colleagues or staff —23 percent
• More paid time off — 23 percent
• Greater flexibility in schedule — 20 percent
• More support staff — 19 percent
• Emphasis on patients over profits — 19 percent
• Greater respect from patients — 12 percent
• More positive attitudes of colleagues — 8 percent
• More educational/professional growth opportunities — 8 percent
• More supportive spouse/partner — 5 percent