Physician burnout is an ever-worrying trend, as more specialists report feeling burnt out now than ever before, according to Medscape's "Gastroenterologist Lifestyle Report 2017."
Here's what you should know about burnout in gastroenterology:
1. Approximately 50 percent of gastroenterologists reported feeling burnt out in 2017. Across all specialties, burnout rate was at 51 percent. Burnout rate has increased annually since 2013, the first year Medscape measured for burnout.
2. On a scale of one to seven, with seven being the most burnt out, gastroenterologists rated their burnout as a 4.0, which was eighth lowest among physicians.
3. The top five factors contributing to burnout among gastroenterologists were:
- Too many bureaucratic tasks
- Spending too many hours at work
- Increasing computerization of practice
- Feeling like a cog in a wheel
- Insurance issues
4. Approximately 65 percent of female gastroenterologists reported feeling burnout compared to 46 percent of male gastroenterologists.
5. Concerning happiness, 68 percent of female gastroenterologists reported feeling happier outside of work. Twenty-five percent of female gastroenterologists were happier at work. Concerning male gastroenterologists, 62 percent were happier outside of work compared to 38 percent that were happier at work.
6. Gastroenterologists were the fifth "happiest specialty" outside of work out of 27 specialties.
7. Gastroenterologists who were either underweight or normal weight were more likely to be burnt out (60 percent) than those that were overweight or obese (40 percent).