Increasing burnout among doctors

When an office worker is having a bad day, the job stays a little longer. But when a doctor comes to work extremely tired or stressed out, a person’s life is at stake. This pressure is taking effect: burnout, anxiety and depression are on the rise among doctors.

As “NZZ am Sonntag” reports, 189 doctors with related symptoms reported to ReMed, a support network for doctors, last year. Compared to 2015, this corresponds to double. FMH, the Swiss doctors’ professional association, also confirmed a steady increase in the newspaper’s burnouts.

The load spreads less and less on the shoulders

Compared to other occupational groups, doctors are twice as likely to be affected by burnout. Female doctors visit counseling centers more often than male doctors, but this does not automatically mean that they are affected by burnout more often. However, if worst comes to worst, the barrier to seeking help is lower among women.

On the one hand, the corona pandemic is responsible for the increase. It has led to even greater workload and stress among the medical profession, especially in hospitals. As Blick recently reported, doctors are increasingly falling prey to aggressive patients who verbally or physically attack staff. This is also a result of the pandemic.

On the other hand, the shortage of skilled workers in the health sector is contributing to the growing number of burnout: if positions cannot be filled, the remaining workforce must step in. The load is distributed less and less on the shoulders.

Work after 1 hour of sleep

In addition, hospitals are increasingly turning to younger, less experienced doctors for responsible positions because they can’t find anyone else. Some don’t end up as hard.

Stress levels are particularly high among resident doctors: several resident doctors have recently reported on working conditions. “Sometimes I worked from 6:30 am to 10 pm,” said Thomas R.*. He also had night watch duty. Should an emergency arise, it had to be done quickly. “You only sleep for an hour or two, and then you work for hours.”

10 percent leave

At one point, Thomas R. became so frustrated that he turned his back on the medical profession. Not uncommon: one in ten physicians leaves the industry prematurely, according to figures from the Swiss Association of Residents and Senior Physicians (VSAO).

There is no improvement in sight: each career decline and each burnout increases the pressure on the remaining doctors, leading to even more burnout in extreme cases. It’s a vicious cycle that ultimately affects patients. When doctors get sick, beds have to be closed and hospital capacity decreases. And in the end, the quality of health care also declines.