Articles related to WORK-LIFE BALANCE

The demand for mental health treatment soars alongside an ongoing physician shortage and an increase in physician burnout. What is the toll paid by the mental health experts? How do they see the issues and how are they dealing with them? Read the study analysis here.

Our system is strained and we don’t have a solution for it. But is the strain impactingpatient care? This review of an article published in the Journal of HospitalMedicine seems to say that higher patient loads lead to longer patient stays.

At what point is it appropriate to stop responding to patient inquiries? This editorial piece argues that taking patient calls at all hours is leading to physician burnout, and that it is time to realize that taking patient calls at home is an antiquated practice that needs to go the way of the doctor’s house call.

An oncologist reflects on his last decade as a physician and what he’s learning through the art of oncology — the daily practice that is outside the latest data and is often not explicitly taught in fellowship — that has become ever more important and gratifying. Age, a changing work environment, a pandemic and telemedicine, reports of physician burnout, and colleagues leaving practice — all part of the daily routine. Here, the oncologist shares a few key rules that that have helped and sustained his practice.

From the American Red Cross to volunteering overseas, there are plenty of feel-good “enlistments” out there for the practicing or retired physician, which can help ward off boredom and burnout while adding the benefit of perhaps learning a new skill or meeting new people. Whether your goals are short-term or you’re in for the long haul, here are nine opportunities to help humanity and feel good about the part you’re playing in the world.

Expecting perfection when it comes to charting? Are you overly self-critical, telling yourself you’ll never get the charts done or you’re just not good at it? Do you go too big, watching your “identity-forming” charting spiral out of control? Keep calm and listen to this KevinMD.com podcast from Dr. Gail Gazelle, an internal medicine physician and the author of the book Everyday Resilience, who shares helpful advice for doctors struggling with these three mistakes.