ObGyn burnout: ACOG takes aim

Be part of the solution
ACOG President Thomas Gellhaus, MD, has dedicated his life to advocating for his specialty and for patient care. His presidential initiatives hold great potential for preventing and overcoming burnout in ObGyns throughout the nation.

Join a mentoring program. Dr. Gellhaus encourages greater participation in mentoring—both as a mentor and a mentee—through an innovative mentor matching program created by Thomas Arnold, MD, and Tamara Helfer, MD, MBA, in ACOG District VI. This program allows physicians to share new ideas and aspirations, connect colleagues, and build lifelong bonds. Young ObGyns find an experienced and trusted advisor; more experienced ObGyns find satisfaction in helping others grow. Helping ObGyns avoid burnout is a key goal of this mentoring program, and Dr. Gellhaus is expanding the program to ACOG Fellows in all Districts.

The District VI mentoring program includes these goals:

• sharing skills, knowledge, and expertise
• demonstrating optimism and enthusiasm about the mentor-mentee relationship and the field of obstetrics and gynecology
• promoting ongoing learning and growth
• providing guidance and constructive feedback
• setting personal and professional goals
• celebrating accomplishments.

Dr. Arnold and Dr. Helfer point out that mentoring opportunities are also critical to help align practice with the future, especially working in collaborative groups, focusing on population health, and incorporating integrated learning. Learn more about bringing this mentorship program to your practice or ACOG section at https://www.acog.org/mentorshipprogram.

Consider going on a global health mission. Dr. Gellhaus and his family have participated in and led many medical missions over the years, braving oppressive heat and discomfort for the opportunity to bring health care to those who have none. He points out, “In areas where health care is out of reach, these missions help people return to economic productivity and retain their dignity.”

Under Dr. Gellhaus’ leadership, ACOG will help connect interested ObGyns with care needs across the globe through the organizations that need physician volunteers for short-term stays.

Already, ACOG is developing an ObGyn educational curriculum for Health Volunteers Overseas, a nonprofit organization that for 30 years has helped educate local health providers in villages in developing nations.

These short-term experiences not only can help physicians break out of their burnout ruts but also transform women’s lives and help build long-term relationships with physicians across the globe.

Become an advocate. Also under the leadership of Dr. Gellhaus, ACOG is investing in the imperative to help members thrive and lead health care into the next generation. Advocacy means getting politicians out of our exam rooms, reducing red tape, and improving payments and participation experiences for practicing ObGyns.

Dr. Gellhaus’ All-in for Advocacy program is designed to increase ACOG’s legislative power while expanding advocacy opportunities throughout the membership. Dr. Gellhaus said in his inaugural presidential address, “I’d like everyone to realize that caring for your patients does not end in the exam room or the surgical suite and everyone is affected by our legislative fights.”

All these initiatives offer alternatives to the pressure of day-to-day practice, and participation can bring back the joy of collegiality and making a difference.

AMA’s initiative to battle burnout

The AMA, too, has responded to physicians’ needs by developing its STEPS Forward interactive practice transformation series (www.stepsforward.org). A 2013 Rand study commissioned by the AMA found that “the satisfaction physicians derive from their work is eroding as they spend more time on grueling administrative rules, regulations and paperwork than caring for patients. The report noted that many physicians say that the bureaucratic obstacles to providing patients with high-quality care are major contributors to symptoms of burnout, including emotional fatigue, depersonalization, loss of enthusiasm and early retirement.”^3,4

The STEPS Forward module Preventing Physician Burnout (www.stepsforward.org/modules/physician-burnout) can help identify if you are at risk for burnout and offers examples of how to implement changes that may restore your work satisfaction and work-life balance (TABLE).⁵ It details practice changes that can improve workflow and reduce administrative barriers, improving both patient and physician satisfaction.

Share your thoughts! Send your Letter to the Editor to rbarbieri@frontlinemedcom.com. Please include your name and the city and state in which you practice.