Avoiding Physician + Family Burnout

It MUST Start with the Institutional Acceptance of the Family

As physicians and partners, we live and experience the realities of burnout every day. If I had a dollar for every time I heard a physician say, “I want to quit,” or “this isn’t worth my life, I’m over it,” I’d be a rich man!  But if we really take a moment to think about these statements, it’s a sad place to be. These incredible people and individuals are great at their jobs, but physically, emotionally, and spiritually worn out. And that takes a toll on their mental health.

In addition, non-medical partners experience burnout in their own right. They often take on the responsibility of keeping life together at home, possibly taking care of kids, while also working a full-time job. This requires long hours, relational dedication, and patience that’s different from their medical counterparts. Without violating HIPPA, they listen to and bear the burdens of their partners day-to-day.

If anything is going to change regarding burnout, the medical community must change the way it cares for and protects the family unit surrounding the physician.‍

Supporting Your Physician Partner: Caring for the Whole Family

As mentioned above, being a partner to a physician means witnessing firsthand the immense challenges and sacrifices that come with this demanding profession. It’s a role that requires patience, resilience, and understanding. However, the institutions that employ these dedicated professionals overlook the well-being of a physician’s family. As a partner, you have a unique vantage point to support your physician while ensuring that you feel supported. Here’s how you can navigate this journey, focusing on the critical connection between physician burnout and family well-being.

Understanding Physician Burnout

We know physician burnout is a significant issue affecting many in the medical field. According to Med School Insiders, the specialties with the highest burnout rates include emergency medicine, critical care, and obstetrics/gynecology, with burnout rates reaching as high as 60%. But the numbers across family medicine and internal medicine are significantly increasing. Additionally, one of my favorite doctor comedians, the “Healthy Humorist” - Brad Bieder, MD - emphasizes that burnout can lead to severe consequences such as depression, anxiety, divorce, and even suicide.

The statistics on physician suicide are particularly alarming. According to CHG Healthcare, the suicide rate among male physicians is 1.41 times higher than the general male population, and female physicians are 2.27 times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general female population. Furthermore, approximately 400 physicians die by suicide each year, which is roughly equivalent to losing an entire medical school class annually. This medical crisis is being silenced and shoved under the rug, but we’ll address that in a different blog.

As for family burnout….the American Medical Association (AMA) points out that families feel the fallout of physician burnout, too. This strain can lead to serious consequences for both the physician and their loved ones, driving a growing percentage of marriages to end in divorce within the first five years post-residency. So, it’s critical we recognize and address these issues if we’re going to maintain healthy and supportive relationships.

Ways to Support Your Physician Partner

• Encourage Manageable Work Hours: Advocate for your partner’s need for rest and reasonable work hours. Discuss the importance of work-life balance and encourage them to take necessary breaks. To a certain degree, your partner’s hours are locked in…especially during residency. But maybe it’s encouraging your partner to call out the dangers and craziness of working 24, 28, 30, 36 hr call shifts. People like to hide these numbers and act like they don’t happen - but as partners advocating for their physicians well-being, we know they do.
  

• Foster Open Communication: Establish a routine of open and honest communication. Regularly check in with your partner about their stress levels and emotional well-being. Every day, we ask, “On a scale of 1-10, how was today?” “DO you want to talk about it?” Let them know it’s okay to express their feelings and you’re there to listen without judgment. For us, these two simple questions have helped a ton. Some days, my partner doesn’t want to talk about it at all; she wants to put it behind her. Other days, she wants to let it all out, and I’m there to take it.
  

• Create a Relaxing Home Environment: This sounds like a no-brainer, but I’m serious. Keeping a clean and peaceful home does wonders for the soul. And you may be reading and thinking….sounds nice, but I have two kids, and there’s no way…. I get it. But I’d encourage you to find some way to make home a place for rest and not continued stress. For us, that looks like having a home gym. It looks like doing yoga a few times a week before bed. It looks like having some time for meditation.
  

• Prioritize Quality Time: Schedule regular quality time together, away from the stresses of work. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a dinner date, or a simple walk in the park, make time to reconnect and enjoy each other’s company. This, too, may sound cliche, but I’m serious - if it doesn’t get planned, it doesn’t happen! Give it a try.

Finding Support as a Partner

• Build a Support Network: Connect with other partners of physicians who understand your unique challenges. Aka, the Other Side Med Community. Yes, this is a shameless plug. But it’s also the entire reason we exist….knowing that there’s a lack of support for partners in medicine.
  

• Practice Self-Care: Take time for your mental and physical health. Engage in activities that you enjoy and that help you relax. Whether it’s reading, exercising, or spending time with friends, make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too. Otherwise, you risk losing yourself in the process. You may question why you’re here, feel isolated and alone, and feel like you’re doing EVERYTHING to provide for your partner with nothing in return. So yes, practice self-care and prioritize it alongside your partner. 
  

• Seek Counseling if Needed: Don’t hesitate to seek professional help if you feel overwhelmed. Counseling can provide a safe space to discuss feelings and develop coping strategies. If needed, we have partnered with counseling centers with a national presence. You’ll find them linked via the Partners tab of the website. We also believe counseling and therapy are healthy in ALL seasons of life….not just when things get hard.
  

• Educate Yourself: Understanding the demands of the medical profession can help you empathize with your partner’s struggles. Read about physician burnout and the healthcare environment to gain insight into what your partner is experiencing.
  

• Communicate Your Needs: Ensure that your partner also knows what you need from them. A relationship is a two-way street, and it’s essential that both partners feel heard and supported.

Practical Ways Institutions Can Help

• Family Inclusion Programs: Hospitals and practices should develop programs specifically to include families in the healthcare community. Family days, mental health resources for family members, and educational workshops can foster a sense of community and support. If this doesn’t already exist, create it! If you’re feeling burnt out, others are feeling burnt out. If you wished you had resources, others wish they had resources. So be a part of the solution to what the institutions haven’t created.
  

• Supportive Work Environment: Institutions can create a supportive work environment that encourages open communication and peer support. Regular check-ins with supervisors and peer support groups can provide physicians with necessary emotional outlets.
  

• Manageable Work Hours: Implementing policies that ensure physicians have manageable work hours and sufficient rest is crucial. This might include enforcing strict limits on shift lengths and ensuring mandatory time off.
  

• Mental Health Resources: It is essential to provide accessible mental health resources for physicians and their families. Counseling services, stress management workshops, and resilience training can help families cope with the unique challenges they face.

In the End:

Addressing physician burnout requires a holistic approach that includes caring for their families. By recognizing families' integral role in a physician’s life and implementing supportive measures, we can create a healthier, more balanced environment for everyone involved. Hospitals, residencies, medical schools, and private practices all have a part to play in this. Together, we can build a system that supports not just the physicians but the entire family unit, ultimately leading to stronger families, better patient care, and a more sustainable healthcare system.

For more insights and data on physician burnout, you can explore the resources from the White Coat Investor, the American Medical Association, Med School Insiders, the Healthy Humorist, and CHG Healthcare:

• Which Physicians Are Most Burned Out?
• Your Family Feels the Fallout of Physician Burnout Too
• Doctor Specialties with the Most Burnout
• What is Physician Burnout?
• Physician Suicide Prevention

By working together, we can ensure that physicians' families receive the care and support they need, fostering a more resilient and compassionate healthcare community.