Increased Risk of Physician Burnout Associated with Incomplete Staffing Levels

Recent research highlights a significant correlation between incomplete staffing in healthcare teams and heightened risk of burnout among physicians. A study published online in JAMA Internal Medicine examined data from the American Medical Association Organizational Biopsy survey involving 970 doctors across various organizations in the United States. The findings revealed that nearly 48% of physicians frequently worked with inadequately staffed teams, with prevalence rates varying across specialties—ranging from 38.5% in medical fields to 62.4% in other categories.

The study demonstrated that working on an under-staffed team more than a quarter of the time substantially increased the likelihood of experiencing burnout, along with stronger intentions to reduce clinical hours or leave their current positions within the next couple of years. Specifically, physicians in such environments had more than twice the odds of burnout and notably higher chances of planning to decrease work hours (odds ratio 1.43) or consider changing organizations (odds ratio 1.49). These findings underscore the impact of team composition and workload on physician well-being.

Researchers emphasized that greater team control and adequate staffing are crucial in mitigating burnout and improving work satisfaction among healthcare professionals. As physician burnout continues to pose challenges to healthcare delivery, optimizing team structures may be a vital strategy in promoting a healthier and more sustainable medical workforce.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-odds-burnout-higher-doctors-incompletely.html