COVID-19 Is Exacerbating Physician Retention and Burnout. Here Are Some Tips to Address It

COVID-19’s impact on front-line healthcare staff will unfold for years to come, but it appears to have already had an effect on physicians’ career plans, according to a new survey. A surprisingly large percentage are considering leaving the practice of medicine entirely, planning to retire early, or leaving to work for another employer, based on a survey of 485 physicians and administrators by Jackson Physician Search.

Of the physicians surveyed, 83% reported that their employer had no physician retention program in place. In contrast, 30% of administrators reported the same – indicating a significant gap. Among administrators, about half (55%) claimed they had an informal, unwritten retention program, but it seems that physicians either aren’t aware of it or don’t value a program that is esoteric. The survey outlines several tips for addressing physician turnover and long-term physician retention.