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4 Strategies for Reducing Staff Burnout
Hospitals, outpatient clinics, and private practice groups continue to face some of the same issues of the past several years, not the least of which is provider burnout. U.S. News reports that doctors run twice the risk of burnout compared with the general population, and it’s been a concern among physicians, advanced practice providers, and facility administrators well before the onset of the global pandemic. In fact, some could call burnout a chronic condition.
From a facility’s point of view, burnout carries some extraordinary consequences: poor clinical outcomes, staff turnover, and financial burdens that, according to the Annals of Internal Medicine, total approximately $4.6 billion annually.
But it’s a new year, and there is no better time to revisit or renew your organization’s commitment to reducing burnout among staff. As your premier partner, All Star Healthcare Solutions is ready to deliver our “Red Carpet” Service for this and other staffing needs.
Improve on-the-job experiences
Providers often cite too many hours on the job as a major factor contributing to feelings of burnout. But patient demands amidst physician shortages have led many organizations to rely on overtime, especially if facilities struggle with filling permanent positions. Incorporating locum tenens professionals into your staffing mix can help lessen the load on full-time employees. Even on a temporary basis, the addition of clinicians means more people are ready to treat patients. Their presence also maintains access to care when staff members must divert their attention away from patients to administrative responsibilities.
What’s more, All Star can assist in arranging locum tenens clinicians to cover for staff members taking leave or vacation. Ensuring people get time away from work is a great tool in battling burnout. The break offers an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate, while locum tenens providers supply the necessary services to deliver continuity of care.
Increase support staff
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants play an important role in managing caseloads by freeing up specialists to attend to more critical patients. However, NPs and PAs, along with certified registered nurse anesthetists, are also in high demand. All Star can help meet those needs with both short- and long-term placements.
Another contributing factor for burnout is limited access to specialists. For example, small or rural facilities may not have enough need to hire specialists full time, or have difficulty recruiting individuals for permanent positions. But that doesn’t mean community members don’t require that higher level of medical expertise. We can arrange locum tenens contracts to fit your needs, such as specialists returning to your facility on regular intervals. This strategy addresses patients’ needs and builds support for permanent staff.
Encourage collaboration
Multiple studies examining clinician burnout suggest a collaborative environment promotes professional satisfaction, which thereby keeps doctors interested and engaged in their careers. One of the unique outcomes of utilizing locum tenens is that temporary providers can inject a fresh perspective into the workplace. Short-term and permanent colleagues can confer, share knowledge, and learn techniques from each other, thus adding a bit of new or different energy to daily duties.
Plan for physician succession
Employee turnover is yet another factor that can contribute to provider burnout. Of course, understaffing leads to heavier caseloads and more frequent overtime. Additionally, when physicians leave, remaining staff may begin reconsidering their own career options elsewhere. Meanwhile, healthcare facilities are left with the cost and time commitment associated with recruiting new members. Industry surveys suggest many healthcare employers have not formalized physician succession plans, which leaves administrators reacting to such circumstances.
As a full-service agency, All Star’s Permanent and Locums Divisions can both assist your organization in developing a proactive stance—recruiting qualified candidates who will fit into your culture and presenting providers to fill gaps in the interim.
Call 800-928-0229—or contact us online—to explore the many options available when you partner with All Star Healthcare Solutions.
