Time pressures, a perceived lack of control over practice decisions and feeling disconnected from colleagues are all drivers of physician dissatisfaction, according to a literature review and survey from the American Medical Association and RAND.
Based on the findings, the AMA and RAND identified four ways practices can improve physician satisfaction while also improving patient care.
1. Delegate "secretarial" duties to support staff. Many physicians surveyed by RAND expressed frustration that a significant amount of their time was dedicated to performing "secretarial" tasks, including filling out forms and entering orders into an EHR system. Physicians said the time spent dealing with these tasks ultimately reduced the amount of time they could spend with their patients. Practices can attain higher levels of physician satisfaction by redirecting some of these duties to other staff, allowing physicians to spend more time with patients and performing tasks that require medical training.
2. Grant physicians more autonomy over daily activities. Many physicians reported dissatisfaction with their practice when they felt they had little or no authority regarding their own schedules, according to the study. Encouraging physicians to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for their practices by giving them more control over day-to-day decisions regarding patient care can help improve physician satisfaction.
3. Prevent feelings of isolation by re-establishing collegiality. According to the study, many physicians are feeling isolated within their practices because of infrequent business meetings with colleagues, increased competition between practices and less time spent in hospitals because of more relocated procedures. Feeling alone while simultaneously dealing with constant time pressures and competition among practices may lead to increased physician dissatisfaction. Dedicating time to ensuring more physician interaction and opportunities for socializing during the workday, such as holding regular meetings, can help reduce feelings of isolation and improve physician satisfaction.
4. Develop new practice models to create organizational slack and reduce stress. Many physician practices found it challenging to implement changes to their practice models, payment systems and technology systems, even when the physicians agreed a change should be made. Creating more organizational "slack," or increasing the timeframe for implementing changes, can help reduce physicians' stress and improve satisfaction, the study suggests. Developing systems for implementing change is also important for practice sustainability as the healthcare system continues to change.