Clinician burnout is a serious problem that affects nearly half of doctors in the U.S., costing the healthcare system about $4.6 billion each year due to turnover and lost productivity. One major culprit behind this issue is the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). Many doctors find themselves spending more time managing these digital records than seeing patients.
Interestingly, EMRs could also help identify burnout before it becomes overwhelming. A recent study from Stanford used artificial intelligence to analyze data from EMRs to predict burnout, focusing on clinics rather than individual doctors. This approach moves beyond traditional methods, which rely on retrospective surveys that ask doctors to reflect on their feelings after the fact.
“Surveys can tell us who is burned out,” researchers note, “but they can’t show us the signs as they develop. EMRs can help us spot potential burnout early, allowing for timely intervention.”
Spotting burnout
The researchers examined data from 233 doctors across 60 clinics over 18 months. They started with over 1,500 potential indicators of burnout and narrowed it down to about 200, relying on clinicians’ insights to avoid drawing false conclusions. They discovered important predictors, such as doctors’ workloads, how efficiently they completed tasks, and even the tone of their notes.
One of the most significant indicators was the number of automated messages a doctor receives. Surprisingly, having team members write notes didn’t help doctors feel less burdened; instead, many felt it added to their workload because they needed to spend time editing those notes.
The study highlights that while EMR data may not always indicate burnout risk for individual doctors, it provides valuable insights at the clinic level. This knowledge could lead to targeted actions that alleviate the factors contributing to burnout.
For example, improving the way messages are organized in doctors’ inboxes could reduce stress. Allowing doctors to choose how they take notes—whether on their own or with help from teammates—might also help them feel less overwhelmed.
By treating EMRs not just as administrative tools but also as resources for understanding and preventing burnout, healthcare systems can shift from reactive to proactive solutions.
