Physician Burnout and Poor Physician Performance: Association or Causation?

Physician burnout and its potential effect on physician performance generate considerable attention. In this meta-analysis, researchers identified 47 studies of almost 50,000 physicians (residents and posttraining) in which researchers explored relations between physician burnout and patient safety, professionalism, and patient satisfaction. Burnout in most studies was measured with validated burnout inventories. Patient safety was measured mostly by self-reported diagnostic or treatment errors that could have influenced patient outcomes. Professionalism was measured by self-reported suboptimal adherence to best practices, low empathy, poor communication, and malpractice lawsuits. About half the studies were conducted in the U.S. The author…