AMA Survey on Physician Burnout Rates
Physician burnout rates are beginning to decline, according to a recent AMA survey
This progress came as the deadliest and most trying part of the COVID-19 public health emergency receded and many health systems stepped up efforts to improve physician well-being, however, the well-being of physicians remains critical, ensuring that those who dedicate their lives to caring for others get the support and resources they need and deserve.
More than 12400 responses from physicians across 31 states were received from 81 health systems and organizations who participated in the AMA Organizational Biopsy last year. The AMA national physician comparison report—which is data exclusive to the AMA and not published elsewhere—reflects 2023 trends in six key performance indicators—job satisfaction, job stress, burnout, intent to leave an organization, feeling valued by an organization, and total hours spent per week on work-related activities (known as “time spend”).
The purpose of the aggregated data is to provide a national summary of organizational well-being and to serve as a comparison for other health care organizations. The results may be limited by the health systems that chose to participate.
Additional information is available at https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physicianhealth/exclusive-ama-survey-reveals-who-hit-hardestdoctor-burnout
New Medical School Training Model
The University of Colorado School of Medicine has adopted a new approach to training doctors. Rather than brief stints in each specialty exclusively, the common practice in the US, its students concurrently train in multiple specialties.
Most medical schools have students train under one specialty for a few weeks before rotating to another one. At the Aurora, CO-based school, an aspiring physician might be placed in pediatrics on Mondays, internal medicine on Tuesdays, etc.
The sustained immersion throughout a hospital or health system aims to eliminate the fragmentation in clinical experiences, according to the school's website.
The model, called longitudinal integrated clerkship, requires students to select a panel of 15 patients to follow for a year from select areas, such as those nearing end of life or those receiving obstetric care.
It is the first medical school in the nation to fully transition to this education model. The university launched the model in 2014 and has steadily expanded it since then, according to the Denver Post.
Further information is available at https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/colorado-medical-school-1st-in-us-to-adoptnew-training-model.html
Navigating the New Landscape of Health Profession Regulation
The regulation of health professions is witnessing a paradigm shift, particularly in Nova Scotia, where recent legislative changes have paved the way for a more cohesive and efficient regulatory framework.
In a recent Ascend Radio podcast, host Harry Cayton interviewed Sue Smith, CEO and Registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Nursing, who shared insights about the Regulated Health Professions Act in Nova Scotia, and the movement towards multi-occupation regulators. The discussion centered on how this legislation has empowered regulators to act more effectively and flexibly, and the potential mergers among different health profession colleges as a reflection of the increasing emphasis on teamwork in the health system. They explored the concept of “right touch” regulation and modernization of conduct standards.
The podcast is available at https://ascend.thentia.com/more/podcast/navigating-the-new-landscape-ofhealth-professional-regulation-insights-from-sue-smithon-ascend-radio/
