Today I was reading yet another article on physician burnout keep wondering why they do this to themselves? They have been slowly making in roads in stopping the insane hours of residency They are barely starting to figure out that NO one thinks clearly or learns well when sleep deprived. All those hours does not make for a better physician. They KNOW that. But seem determined to continue with this sort of extended hazing process.
The physicians themselves limit the number of medical school spots available and then strangely complain about the shortage or primary care providers that they are purposefully creating. ( BTW, thank you for making it easier for me). Now, they are working themselves into the ground, burning out and creating a depersonalized health care system that we all agree is not working. But who is creating scheduling themselves for 30-40 patients a day? They are.
I sometimes wonder what came first the burn out and resulting depersonalization of healthcare or the 10 minute visit that led to the burnout? They have the power to change this. They do. I wonder if they are depressed? You know how depressed folks just get "stuck"? They know it is crazy. They know it is scary as hell to go home hoping to whatever God you pray to that you didn't miss something important. But they do it.
They really do have the power to change it over night if they wanted to. They could all just linkedin, fb, tweat, or g+ each other to say NO. No, I won't see more than x patients today or any other day. It is dangerous. It is wrong. It doesn't work. They could do this. They write their own rules. There are laws against the corporate practice of medicine. No one can force them., except themselves.
I am honestly wondering about the secondary gain. They say that they want to be with their families. Do they? They could be. They each have the power to hang out a shingle just Marcus Welby and make their own hours. They could stop taking insurance and start practicing medicine and healing again. I promise you that they are NOT forced into this situation. This is the life that they are choosing for themselves.
