Why Do Most Family Physicians Avoid Vacations?

Why Do Most Family Physicians Avoid Vacations?

With family physicians already battling burnout, they need time-off to recharge and stay at their best. Ever wondered why family physicians rarely take vacations? It’s not just about patient care! The constant paperwork and EHRs make it hard for them to step away. They worry that their work will pile up while they’re gone and take hours to catch up on. Did you know that some even work during their vacations? Yes, the internet and EHRs keep them working during their time off. Such vacation behaviors can pave the way for burnout. In this blog post we’ll explore how family physicians can make their well-deserved vacation truly stress-free!

Vacation Behaviors And Burnout

Family physicians work is often demanding and stressful. Working long hours without breaks, heavy administrative workload and high patient demands can contribute to burnout, impacting their productivity and performance. Time off allows them to relax, recharge and return feeling renewed, which helps them maintain their well-being and continue providing high-quality care. A survey shows that family physicians struggle to take real breaks, as they tend to keep checking their EHR inboxes. The more family physicians check their inbox the more it adds to their stress. A study revealed that providing complete EHR coverage can help physicians work less on vacation and feel less burned out.

What Does Dr. Vinnie, Family Physician Say?

Dr. Vinnie, a family physician says that he takes a few days off now and then, but his workload doubles when he gets back! From handling a bunch of test results, responding to emails and patient messages, or managing refills there’s a whole lot to do. Catching up on all of this would take hours. He says that even though you are not on your computer paperwork piles up and you get to do it all. That’s why family physicians avoid vacations. Simply that the workload when they get back is just not worth it. He says he prefers taking his computer so that he can at least lessen the burden when he gets back but also take care of his patients from afar.

Ways To Help Family Physicians Get The Time Off They Need

Family physicians face unique challenges when it comes to taking time off due to the ongoing demands of patient care and EHR responsibilities. Implementing these strategies can help cut down on burnout and boost well-being.

Normalize the Culture of Time-Off: Encourage a culture where taking time off is valued and normalized. Leaders should model this behavior by not checking EHR inboxes while on vacation. Avoid praising those who work during their vacation, as it reinforces the expectation to stay connected.

Provide Adequate Coverage: Ensure full coverage of clinical and EHR responsibilities during a physician’s absence. This includes having a team member handle patient care and scribes manage the EHR in-basket, ensuring everything stays on track.

Include PTO in Compensation Models: Adjust pay structures to cover time off, so physicians don’t feel punished for taking vacation. Set realistic productivity expectations that factor in time-off, ensuring compensation is fair and guilt-free.

Conclusion

Are vacation habits contributing to burnout? Yes, most family physicians take fewer vacations in a year or do not totally disconnect from EHR responsibilities while on vacation. Such vacation habits likely worsen the effects of chronic work overload from long hours, heavy administrative burden and high patient expectations increasing the risk of burnout. Christine A. Sinksy told Medpage that physicians feel pressured to do patient-related EHR inbox work while on vacation, which fuels burnout. Providing complete EHR inbox coverage during vacations can decrease the need for work while away and help reduce burnout rates. Scribes can help by managing tasks in the EHR inbox and responding to messages, so the physician doesn’t have to deal with these while on vacation.

Forget about the hassle of catching up on work. Everyone deserves a break! Hire Scribe4Me’s family medicine scribe. Make your well-deserved vacation truly stress-free!