Workplace demands negatively impact physician health, patient care

Andrea Klemes

The pressures of practicing medicine in the United States are negatively affecting physician health and the way patient care is delivered, according to results from the MDVIP Physician Health Survey.

“In order to provide effective personalized care, doctors need more time with patients to get a clearer picture of their overall health, emphasize prevention, and coach on lifestyle habits like diet and exercise,” Andrea Klemes, DO, chief medical officer at MDVIP, said in a press release. “Yet today, doctors are pressured to see more patients and to spend less time with each.”

Investigators from MDVIP conducted an online survey of 200 U.S. primary care physicians aged 35 years or older, including internists, family medicine doctors and other general practitioners, to better understand how their job-related experiences affect their health and their patient’s health.

The survey revealed that a majority of PCPs do not get enough sleep (76%) or exercise (75%) and report that these shortcomings are due to heavy workloads. In addition, more than half of PCPs are overweight or obese (55%) and say that one of the main barriers to making optimal food selections are their job demands (60%).

“While primary care doctors are on the frontlines of managing their patients’ health, many physicians are neglecting their own,” Klemes said. “On the other hand, doctors who ‘walk the talk’ build credibility with their patients and, as a positive role model, are more likely to motivate patients to make lifestyle changes that improve their health.”

The high-pressure work environment that physicians endure prevent them from bettering their health, according to the survey. Sixty-eight percent of PCPs reported that their life was negatively impacted by work stress. Too much paperwork and bureaucracy contributed to most of their stress levels (74%), followed by new technologies, such as EHRs (43%), and long working hours (39%).

Workplace demands on PCPs may result in long-term consequences, such as physician burnout. Nearly half of PCPs considered leaving clinical practice because of work stress (41%) and would not pursue a career in primary care if given the option to start over again (48%).

Furthermore, Klemes told Healio Internal Medicine, “The MDVIP Physician Health Survey revealed that 83% of primary care doctors are not able to spend as much time as they would like with their patients. The average 15-minute doctor’s visit is hardly enough time to discuss a patient’s health history, medications, symptoms and concerns — much less talk about prevention and wellness.

“Under these circumstances, even the best physicians can fall short in providing optimal care. Many doctors are challenged with spending the limited time they have with patients putting band-aids on acute problems. In the survey, more than half of doctors admit writing prescriptions or referring to specialists because of time constraints. This can result in patients filling unnecessary prescriptions or taking medication for conditions that can otherwise be treated through lifestyle changes such as losing weight or changing their diet.

“Physicians who are not able to spend enough time with a patient may miss something important, which could delay a proper diagnosis and the appropriate treatment. On the preventive side, physicians who are pressed for time often are not able to engage in a deeper discussion with patients that addresses all aspects of their well-being or provide vital coaching to affect meaningful change.”

The current health care system is shifting the away from the doctor-patient relationship which lowers satisfaction and impersonalizes care, Bret Jorgensen, CEO of MDVIP, said. – by Alaina Tedesco

Disclosure: Klemes reports no relevant financial disclosures.