5 things physicians can do to protect themselves

As someone who talks to many physicians about burnout and life in medicine, I find myself having a lot of discussions about the circumstances of people’s jobs. Almost inevitably, there comes a point in the conversation where someone expresses dissatisfaction about an aspect of their contract or an additional responsibility that was placed on them. As physicians, we’re groomed to take care of patients. During training, we don’t talk about compensation, work-life balance, or the business of medicine. In many ways, it’s actually frowned upon to do so, and our hierarchical systems discourage open conversation on these subjects. We also very rarely say ‘no’ during the course of our training, and this tendency stays with us for the remainder of our careers. Ultimately, these things hurt us. Physician burnout is multifactorial, and so much of its rise can be attributed to institutional and administrative factors and the changing healthcare landscape. We can’t predict the future, but there are certain steps that we can take to protect ourselves: Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Practice Management Primary Care Source Type: blogs