PHYSICIAN BURNOUT AND MAINTAINING WELLNESS: THE OTHER PANDEMIC

Bukelis, Irena; Lockwood, Laura E.; Myint, Myo Thwin

Objectives: This presentation will discuss the definition of physician burnout. We will discuss commonly cited causes of burnout as well as the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on burnout. Longitudinal data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Psychiatry department will be presented. This can serve as a representation of burnout within an academic setting in the Southeast. The Well-Being Index (WBI) will be discussed in further depth as a measure of burnout. Technology use in assessing wellness will be presented in an engaging way. We will take a closer look at wellness within residency and fellowship, and a personal story of burnout during training will be presented. Methods: A review of nationwide data will be presented to give an overview of the problem of physician burnout. We will take a closer look at the longitudinal UAB data on the WBI and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physician well-being. Polls, breakout sessions, real-life cases, word clouds, and art will be used during the presentation to engage the audience. Finally, a personal story of burnout will be presented in an interview format. Results: Nationwide, 41% of psychiatrists are reporting burnout in a recent study. At UAB, this was somewhat lower at 27.27%. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the level of burnout. At UAB, the burnout level among psychiatry residents and child and adolescent psychiatry fellows was 44.44%. This level also has increased over the past year, presumably in part related to COVID-19 stressors. Conclusions: Physician burnout is a growing problem among physicians nationwide. Self-care and wellness are ethical issues and part of professionalism. It is a physician’s responsibility to take care of themselves so that one can care well for patients. It is an incredible loss for the community when a physician gets burned out and leaves medicine or retires early. Additionally, suicide rates among physicians are troublingly high. It is difficult for psychiatrists to provide a high level of care to patients when they are experiencing burnout. Healthcare organizations need to try to implement wellness strategies, and these also need to be part of the training curricula. ETH, REST, STRESS