A recent insight report from G-Med, a global online community exclusively for physicians, has shed light on concerning trends related to vacation habits among doctors.
The report, which analysed peer-to-peer discussions on the G-Med platform, reveals that over 25% of physicians do not take all their annual leave, while an additional 15.16% feel uncomfortable when requesting time off.
Widespread Physician Burnout
Physician burnout is increasingly recognised as a significant issue in healthcare, characterised by profound emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalisation, and a reduced sense of personal achievement. The American Medical Association has reported that burnout affects 48.2% of physicians in the US, while previous G-Med reports have found global burnout rates among physicians to be as high as 52%.
Ilan Ben Ezri, co-founder and CEO of G-Med, highlighted the importance of understanding and addressing this issue: “Physician burnout is a pressing global health concern, and G-Med’s insight report provides a window into the real-world thoughts and experiences of physicians. Beyond clinical discussions, the G-Med platform offers a trusted community where healthcare professionals can find support for the challenges they face. We hope this report will drive changes within the healthcare system, focusing on physicians’ needs to ultimately improve healthcare globally.”
Barriers to Taking Vacation
The report’s findings are based on conversations among verified physicians from various regions, including North America, Europe, South America, and Australia. These discussions revealed a troubling trend: 74.59% of physicians reported taking all their vacation days each year, but 20.33% of this group (15.16% of the total respondents) admitted feeling uncomfortable when requesting time off. This discomfort often stems from concerns about heavy workloads, workplace culture, and the fear of burdening colleagues.
Moreover, 25.41% of physicians reported not taking all their annual leave, citing similar barriers. The report suggests that the reluctance to take time off or the discomfort in requesting it contributes to the high levels of burnout observed in the profession.
Call for Systemic Change
The G-Med report indicates that 40.57% of physicians either do not take all their vacation days or feel uncomfortable requesting them. This statistic underscores the urgent need for systemic changes within healthcare to better support physicians and mitigate burnout.
As one G-Med physician put it, “I go to the vacation exhausted since I have to solve all issues and manage every little thing before I leave, and when I come back, I feel punished since all workloads will be delayed for me to do!”
The findings from G-Med’s report call for a reevaluation of current workplace practices and a greater emphasis on the well-being of healthcare professionals. By addressing these issues, healthcare systems can better support their workforce and, ultimately, improve patient care outcomes.
