Physician burnout, particularly in primary care, receives much attention these days. However, burnout among primary care physicians (PCPs) is a symptom of a bigger issue: the need for health care organizations to help them build sustainable careers. Doing so can create healthier, happier physicians who feel empowered to make better job choices, while placing more of them in work settings that support their personal values, preferences, and needs.
Health care organizations have a big role to play, and yet few of them have embraced this role up to now. It includes aligning PCPs with the jobs and work settings they desire; giving them a fair chance to have work-life balance; taking their professional and career development seriously; and giving them the freedom to job craft with other colleagues on the clinical team.
