Physician Sentiment Survey Provides Insight Into Burnout and Other Challenges

A new sentiment survey gauges physician burnout and other challenges. Burnout is one of the top challenges facing clinicians and other healthcare workers nationwide. In a September 2020 report published by The Physicians Foundation, 30% of more than 2,300 physicians surveyed cited feelings of hopelessness or having no purpose due to changes in their practices related to the coronavirus pandemic. Research published in September 2018 indicated that nearly half of physicians across the country were experiencing burnout symptoms.

The new sentiment survey, which was published by Watertown, Massachusetts-based athenahealth, is based on information collected from nearly 800 physicians. Most of the respondents (64%) worked at independent practices, with 22% of respondents working at hospital-affiliated practices. Most of the respondents (75%) were primary care physicians and 25% were specialty physicians.