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The bad news is that burnout rates among physicians are still high, and they could potentially go higher with the impending physician shortage and the surge in burnout it will likely bring. The good news is that burnout rates are actually dropping for emergency physicians. The best news is that technology, such as ER scheduling software, empowers healthcare professionals to take the life/work balance into their own hands to reduce their own risk of burnout.
In 2024, more than 43% of physicians experienced at least one symptom of burnout, according to the AMA. This is down from 48% in 2024, and 53% in 2022. Emergency medicine still ranks at the top of the burnout scale, at 52% and down from 56.5%.
Burnout is the result of unaddressed, long-term stress. While it is detrimental to all types of workers and organizations, burnout can have especially severe consequences when it develops in an emergency physician or other medical professionals.
Piling on the stress
When faced with stress, people tend to cancel their stress-relieving activities so that they can focus on addressing the stress-inducing situation. In some cases, ER physicians focus on work-related stress by taking on more shifts or by working longer hours.
During periods of stress, we tend to decrease physical activity, healthy eating, social interaction, hobbies, learning, and everything else that makes life fun. We also tend to engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as smoking, overeating, and alcohol use. While it may feel like these activities reduce stress in the short-term, indulging in these behaviors for too long can actually ramp up stress levels.So what’s an ER physician to do?
The year of doing less…
A post in MDLinx calls 2026 “the year of doing less,” in which healthcare practitioners focus on purpose over productivity. Preventing and lessening burnout involves doing fewer activities that cause burnout and engaging in more satisfying and enjoyable activities.
… with powerful software that allows physicians to do more with shifts that fit their lifestyle
Advances in medical technology and physician scheduling software allow emergency physicians to reduce administrative burdens while still providing exceptional care. These advances in emergency medicine scheduling software also allow hospitals and other healthcare organizations to offer timely, safe care without stretching resources.
ER scheduling software allows physicians to say no to schedules that lead to burnout and select work hours that fit their personal and professional needs. ER physicians often benefit from the ability to view shift availability, and request shifts, time off, and vacations using their phone or computer rather than phoning human resources. Being able to trade, give away, or split shifts helps healthcare professionals shape their schedule and reduce burnout on their own terms.
Founded by an emergency physician more than 30 years ago, ByteBloc software provides the very best benefits in shift scheduling. Today, ByteBloc can be found in emergency departments in all 50 states, Canada and many other countries around the world.
For more information on ER scheduling software to reduce burnout among ER physicians, contact ByteBloc.
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