Using locum tenens to fight burnout

Physician burnout is a growing concern in facilities of all shapes and sizes across the country. The daily pressure and stress of caring for patients — combined with ever-increasing patient loads — has resulted in more physicians considering leaving the profession than ever before.

Dr. Larry Daugherty has seen it from both sides—as a practicing physician and as a leader responsible for staffing his group practice.

“There’s a high percentage of burnout in medicine,” he says. “My personal opinion is that physicians are sometimes a little too married to work. While I love what I do, my work is not my life.”

To stay energized and avoid burnout, Dr. Daugherty prioritizes time for adventure and service—from racing in Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod to leading Mount Everest climbs that raise funds for hospitals in Kenya. With the help of Weatherby Healthcare and reliable locum tenens coverage, he’s able to take that time off without compromising patient care.

“Having an established relationship with Weatherby has given me a predictable, reliable pool of physicians we know and trust.”

Many medical facilities only turn to locum tenens when they’re down a physician or when a doctor is out on extended leave. However, locum tenens can be a valuable way to staff up during busy times, taking some of the pressure off of your full-time staff and helping to reduce the likelihood of burnout.

If you’re not sure what burnout looks like, here are a few of the signs:

• Disinterest in work

• Poor work-life balance

• Unhealthy eating and physical habits

• Anger and irritation

• Inability to see a positive future

If you’re seeing these signs in your physicians, don’t wait to help them. Look for ways to reduce their stress and address the issues they’re facing. That could range from hiring a medical scribe to help with paperwork or locum tenes to lighten the load to encouraging mindfulness.

With a growing physician shortage, we need to make sure we’re doing all we can to keep physicians in medicine.

Whether you’re facing long-term shortages or need temporary coverage, our physician staffing consultants create plans for keeping your facility running smoothly.

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