“Physician Burnout in America: A Roadmap for Restoring Joy and Purpose in Medicine” outlines the alarming rise of burnout among healthcare professionals and its impact on the quality of care. The article calls for a shift from reactive solutions to a proactive approach that fosters well-being. It presents a roadmap for restoring joy in medicine, focusing on cultivating meaningful human connections, improving work environments, and rekindling the sense of purpose that drew physicians to the profession. Through a holistic strategy, the article emphasizes the importance of systemic changes to help physicians thrive and rediscover joy in their work.

Experts use art, ‘micro-habits’ to combat burnout, draw attention to physician suicide

Stigma is ‘common thread’ among clinician suicides

‘Era of AI is here,’ but not yet reducing physician burnout

NFL medical adviser tells physicians, like athletes, ‘the leader you’re looking for is you’

The 76 page report offers a wide-sweeping blueprint for ending burnout

The top-line recommendations to address burnout in the Surgeon General’s Advisory include:

1. Transform workplace culture to empower health workers and be responsive to their voices and needs.

2. Eliminate punitive policies for seeking #mentalhealth and substance use disorder care.

3. Protect the health, safety, and well-being of all health workers.

4. Reduce administrative burdens to help health workers have productive time with patients, communities, and colleagues.

5. Prioritize social connection and community as a core value of the healthcare system.

6. Invest in public health and our public health workforce.

The Clinician Well-Being Collaborative has three goals:

1. Raise the visibility of clinician anxiety, burnout, depression, stress, and suicide

2. Improve baseline understanding of challenges to clinician well-being

3. Advance evidence-based, multidisciplinary solutions to improve patient care by caring for the caregiver

Physician well-being is influenced by both organizational and individual factors. This collection of AMA's STEPS Forward™ toolkits offer strategies on how to engage health system leadership, understanding physician burnout and how to address it, as well as developing a culture that supports physician well-being.

The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement has been a trusted influencer in healthcare for over 25 years.