Who’s Caring for the Caregiver? Strategies for Reducing Clinician Burnout

11/03/23 • 39 min

This episode examines clinician burnout, a public health issue propelled into the spotlight by the Covid-19 pandemic. Up to 54 percent of nurses, physicians, and other clinicians experience prolonged, occupational stress. They suffer exhaustion, low job satisfaction, lack of achievement, and other consequences that not only compromise their personal wellbeing, but also the care they provide to their patients.

Host Heather Howard explores the drivers of clinician burnout along with the rising costs with Dr. Bryant Adibe, Sugarman Practitioner in Residence at Princeton's School of Public and International Affairs, and Dr. Wayne Jonas, a practicing family physician and president of the Healing Works Foundation.

Their conversation addresses widespread dissatisfaction among health care workers, absenteeism, staffing shortages, and other repercussions that threaten access to safe, quality health care in the United States and beyond. They discuss strategies for reducing clinician burnout through a systems approach that leverages actionable data, as well as a recent summit that united scholars, health care providers, and policymakers in the collaborative pursuit of clinical wellbeing.

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Learn more about the “Systems Summit on Clinical Wellbeing,” co-sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA), Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), Healing Works Foundation, and Princeton University’s Center for Health and Wellbeing and the Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science & Public Policy.

Read related articles authored by Dr. Bryant Adibe:

Clinician Wellness is an Operations Issue

Clinician Wellbeing: Challenges and Opportunities

Learn more about the Healing Works Foundation.

The Princeton Pulse Podcast is a production of Princeton University's Center for Health and Wellbeing (CHW). The show is hosted by Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, produced by Aimee Bronfeld, and edited by Alex Brownstein. You can subscribe to The Princeton Pulse Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

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Read related articles authored by Dr. Bryant Adibe:

Clinician Wellness is an Operations Issue

Clinician Wellbeing: Challenges and Opportunities

Learn more about the Healing Works Foundation.

Previous Episode

A Public Health Approach to Gun Violence in America

This episode tackles gun violence in America, a serious and escalating public health crisis. According to the CDC, firearms kill nearly 50,000 Americans each year and are now the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. The facts are startling, but not entirely surprising, when you consider that Americans own more guns per capita than any other country in the world.

Unfortunately, gun violence is often viewed as a political issue as opposed to a public health threat, which has prevented meaningful progress in fighting this epidemic. But that is beginning to change as policymakers, health care providers, and other stakeholders reframe the conversation and come together in the interest of safer, healthier communities.

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, examines challenges and potential policy solutions with two staunch advocates for depoliticizing gun safety and uniting for the common good: Senator William H. Frist, M.D., a practicing physician and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader, whose ongoing work proposes a shift in culture and targeted, bipartisan legislation; and Chethan Sathya, M.D., a pediatric trauma surgeon and director of the Northwell Health Center for Gun Violence Prevention .

The panel recommends a public health approach focused on firearm safety and injury prevention, emphasizing the value of scientific data and the implementation of evidence-informed interventions, such as safe storage, background checks, and “red flag” laws. The show presents a hopeful path forward that fosters cooperative discussion and actions aimed at protecting our children and communities.

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Read two recent articles on gun safety authored/co-authored by Senator Frist:

“The Massive New Public Health Threat To Kids: What Policies Would You Consider To Address Gun Safety?” Forbes, 5/3/23

“Gun Violence is the No. 1 Killer of Children; Here Are Common-Sense Steps to Address It.” The Tennessean, 4/17/23

Read more about the Northwell Health Center for Gun Violence Prevention, led by Dr. Sathya.

Learn about the Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium, a coalition of gun violence researchers and practitioners that seeks to inform policymakers and the public with evidence-based policy recommendations.
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Next Episode

Lessons from America’s Former Top Doctor – from Covid to the Opioid Crisis

This episode of the Princeton Pulse Podcast takes us to the front lines of the Covid-19 pandemic and other public health crises with Dr. Jerome Adams, former Surgeon General of the United States.

Serving as the “nation’s doctor” during the height of the pandemic, and as a member of the President’s Coronavirus Task Force, Dr. Adams was an integral part of the U.S. response to Covid-19. A public health expert and key spokesperson for the administration, he was uniquely responsible for not only understanding the science related to Covid-19, but for also relaying accurate, trusted information to American families as the virus rapidly evolved and spread around the world -- and misinformation spread just as rapidly as researchers tried to keep pace.
Now out of public office, Dr. Adams is Executive Director of Health Equity Initiatives and Distinguished Professor of Practice at Purdue University. He also authored a new book called “Crisis and Chaos: Lessons From the Front Lines of the War Against Covid-19.”

Host Heather Howard, a professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, welcomes Dr. Adams to the show to talk about his successes and missteps as Surgeon General. They discuss the importance of depoliticizing public health, improving science and health literacy, preventing misinformation, and preparing for the next public health crisis. They also delve into his experiences as Indiana’s Health Commissioner, including the state’s response to the opioid crisis.

Read a related Op-Ed authored by Heather Howard and Brontë Nevins, MPA ’24, Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs:
“Learning From Past Disasters to Help Covid Long Haulers”

Read about related research conducted by SPIA faculty members:
SPIA Faculty Study Pandemic’s Impact on Asian American Health, Long Covid | Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

The Princeton Pulse Podcast - Who’s Caring for the Caregiver? Strategies for Reducing Clinician Burnout

Transcript

Episode #8: Who’s Caring for the Caregiver? Strategies for Reducing Clinician Burnout

Heather Howard 00:02
Hi, and welcome to the Princeton Pulse Podcast. I'm Heather Howard, professor at Princeton University and former New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services. On campus and beyond, I've dedicated my career to advancing public health. That's why I'm excited to host this podcast and shine a light on the valuable connections between healt