The Burned Out Physician: Managing the Stress and Reducing the Errors

  • 4h 44m
  • John E. Kello, Joseph A. Allen
  • Cambridge University Press
  • 2022

Burnout is a major psychological and physical health-related problem for workers in all fields, but especially for those in the fast-paced and rapidly changing world of healthcare. Burnout has severe consequences for patients, including medical error, and is a leading contributing cause of depression and suicide among healthcare workers. Organizational science is just beginning to be applied in earnest to physician burnout and patient safety, and holds several potential keys to addressing these concerns. The Burned Out Physician is for two groups: healthcare workers (especially physicians) and patients. Physicians will use this book to get an accurate picture of what they are experiencing and how to change it, and patients will use this book to see what their healthcare providers are experiencing and learn how to help and/or protect themselves. The volume includes a checklist of burnout symptoms, and crucially a list of solutions as part of an active effort to solve the burnout crisis.

  • Provides a clear definition of burnout within the context of physicians and healthcare workers
  • Includes a comprehensive symptom checklist for readers
  • Offers solutions to the burnout crisis which could be implemented by individuals, teams or organizations

About the Author

John E. Kello is a Professor of Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Davidson College, with a Graduate Faculty Associate appointment to the Doctoral Program in Organizational Science at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Additionally, John is President of, and Senior Consultant with J. E. Kello & Associates, Inc., an Organization Development (OD) consulting firm which serves a national list of clients. He has published more than a hundred articles in professional journals dealing with the creation of a 'positive safety culture' and with the design and implementation of organizational training systems for High Reliability Organizations.

Joseph A. Allen is a Professor of Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology at the University of Utah. He directs the Center for Meeting Effectiveness housed in the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. Dr. Allen has consulted for more than 500 non-profit and for-profit organizations. He has published more than 150 papers in academic outlets, his research focusing on three major areas of inquiry including the study of workplace meetings, organizational community engagement, and occupational safety and health.

In this Book

  • Preface
  • The Psychology of Burnout
  • The Burned-Out Physician
  • Types of Medical Error
  • Sources of Medical Error
  • How-To Strategies for Addressing the Crisis—Solution #1—Understand Your Personality
  • Solution #2—Engage in Self-Care
  • Solution #3—Seek Social Support
  • Solution #4—Follow the Advice You Would Give Patients
  • Solution #5—Perform Effective Team Leadership
  • Solution #6—Ensure Collaborating Team Members
  • Solution #7—Establish and Sustain a Positive Team Culture
  • Solution #8—Make Changes in Workflow in Organizations
  • Solution #9—Make Changes in Management Practices in Local Healthcare System Top Leaders
  • Solution #10—Make Changes in Overall Healthcare System Processes
  • Solution #11—Make Changes in National Healthcare
  • Saving the Burned-Out Physician
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