Burned-out? Maybe You Should Opt Out
This article recently came across my feed on LinkedIn and offers a perspective that many in healthcare should take a look at. In it, Dike Drummond MD offers some key insights into the state of AI for employed physicians. It offers some salient warnings if you are considering taking your first steps into clinical AI adoption.
One key warning Dike brings up is true. “Your initial relief from documentation fatigue will be replaced by the strain of a relentless, unsustainable pace.”?
Why is this warning true?
Think about it. If they have not fixed burnout with the EHR you are forced to use, why would they fix your life with the AI they want you to use?
Independent Physicians Frequently Have Less Burnout
In the AI-employed-physician-dilema I also see potential… perhaps a different future for AI and the physician workforce. One where employed physicians opt out. Non-employed physicians, whether alone or in groups, naturally make decisions that benefit their personal life, productivity, and the health of their patients. In contrast, the “bosses” in healthcare systems are beholden to a spreadsheet and profit motive that is frequently contraire to optimal physician and patient health.
Unfortunately the warnings in this article are supported by my own experience. I recently had a concerning conversation with an employed hospital-based physician. He shared that when artificial intelligence (AI) was integrated into their Electronic Health Record (EHR) system—without proper testing for accuracy and feasibility—he was immediately expected to see 15 additional patients each day under the assumption that AI would enhance his efficiency.
This approach highlights a troubling trend where administrative decisions prioritize increased patient volumes over physician well-being and patient care. Such practices not only contribute to physician burnout but also erode the trust between healthcare providers and administrators.
Improved Efficiency, Profitability, and Quality of Life are Possible
But not if you are employed. Physicians in private practices and small groups who effectively leverage AI to improve patient prequalification, prior authorizations, and surgical workflows are experiencing enhanced profitability, productivity, and efficiency—all while working fewer hours.
It is imperative for those working with surgeons to recognize this critical juncture. If those who can, continue to push physicians beyond their burnout thresholds through administrative burdens and a lack of autonomy, they risk providers leaving the profession, exiting the system, or seeking collective bargaining. They may even opt out to become competitors to the healthsystem itself. In any of these scenarios, the sustainability of patient access to innovative care is jeopardized.
The Hard Facts
Growth of Administrators:
Over the past decade, the number of healthcare administrators has grown significantly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of medical and health services managers increased by approximately 32% from 2010 to 2020, outpacing the growth of practicing physicians.
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Moving forward, as systems adopt AI, they will need to create a leaner administration framework because these positions generate no inherent value in patient care in and of themselves.
Growing Physician Burnout:
A 2023 report by Medscape revealed that over 50% of physicians experience burnout, a figure exacerbated by increasing administrative tasks and inefficient EHR systems.
Our primary focus should be to empower physicians to deliver high-quality, innovative care with reduced administrative burdens. By enhancing system efficiencies and returning valuable time to surgeons, we support both their well-being and patient outcomes.
Declining Clinical Practice Entry:
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2034, partly due to medical graduates pursuing non-clinical careers. Young people now entering the profession are acutely aware of the problems and do not like what they are seeing, hence the current trends showing a migration away from direct patient care.
The future of AI in healthcare is one that will require a return to autonomy and agency for the healthcare practitioner.
The Current Solutions Aren’t Working
To stave off burnout, instead of offering superficial solutions like counseling, we need to provide tangible change in the work of medicine: better-matched patients, reduced paperwork, and manageable schedules. We must eliminate excessive administrative tasks, improve EHR usability, and reduce redundant oversight.
If administrators fail to address these issues, they will increasingly face a reality where there are no physicians to fill critical roles. It's time for those other than the providers to earn their keep by facilitating environments where doctors can thrive, rather than hindering them with unnecessary obstacles.
Three Key Areas Where AI Can Make An Immediate Improvement
By taking these steps, we not only improve efficiency but also honor the dedication of our physicians, who have always gone above and beyond for their patients.
If we don't make these changes now, we risk losing the very individuals who are the backbone of our healthcare system—the physicians who have tirelessly served, no matter the challenges.
It's time to give them back their agency and ensure they can continue providing exceptional care.
Fire up!