Engaging Physicians – Solving Shortage
The physician shortage crisis, exacerbated in rural communities by lower population and limited resources, requires thoughtful solutions to attract and retain physicians. Compensation and benefits are important factors in attracting quality talent, however, they are not the only contributing factors. Modern physicians desire work/life balance, purpose, community, and a sense that their voice is heard in decision making. Healthcare organizations must foster a culture that satisfies these desires in order to attract physicians to choose their communities over their many other options.
Challenges Inherent To Emergency Medicine
Emergency departments with single-physician coverage in rural and remote areas are uniquely difficult. The skills and responsibility to respond to urgent health issues, traumas, and life threatening situations weighs heavily on providers. The recent pandemic reduced an already strained physician workforce, however, these are long-standing challenges that are inseparable from the practice of emergency medicine. Surveys and studies regarding physician stress are plentiful, making it clear they are a workforce at risk.
Physician Burnout Rates[1]
Challenges Emerging In Emergency Medicine
While many of the challenges in Emergency Medicine are innate, modern Emergency Medicine providers are placing new demands on organizations. As baby boomers retire, younger doctors are communicating expectations for better work/life balance, reduced hours, less administrative load, fulfillment in their work, greater consideration in decision making, and a sense of teamwork and community connectedness.
Workforce Values[2]
Engaging Physicians & Overcoming Challenges
Meeting these challenges requires a more sophisticated approach to engaging healthcare professionals. STATUS is aligning its leadership and staff to offer opportunities that stand apart from the many others available, by offering the experience physicians desire.
Administrative Support decreases workload and increases fulfillment
- Recruiters are the first experience a physician has with a staffing firm or hospital, making a good first impression and providing a clear understanding of what is on offer
- Credentialing does paperwork so providers can focus on healthcare, our team continuously seeks more efficient and less burdensome ways to manage paperwork
- Practice Coordinators dedicate themselves to the logistics of practice management: arranging travel, accommodating family needs, and providing schedule stability for all.
Medical Leadership is essential to STATUS, one of the few remaining physician-owned staffing firms. In 2024 we launched an initiative to provide on-site, physician leaders to all of our hospital partners. Peer-to-peer is often the best way to find solutions, our physician leaders practice with and advocate for the physicians that they direct, as well as represent physician and patients needs to hospital administration. Finally, they act as liaisons between physician teams and another distinguishing feature of STATUS, our Chief Medical Officer, Lenard Kerr, DO, FAAEM.
STATUS is dedicated to meeting the needs of our physician and hospital partners as they each grow and change, being connected to them gives us the perspective necessary to to meet those needs. Physician engagement is fundamental to providing reliable staffing services and rewarding physician careers.
References
1. Physician Burnout Rates
1.1 Physician burnout rate drops below 50% for first time in 4 years – https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/physician-burnout-rate-drops-below-50-first-time-4-years
1.2 Patterns in Physician Burnout in a Stable-Linked Cohort – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810256
1.3 Medscape Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2024: ‘We Have Much Work to Do’ – https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/2024-lifestyle-burnout-6016865#1
2. Workforce Values
2.1 Work-life Balance Tops Pay: Randstad’s Workmonitor Reveals New Workplace Baseline – https://www.randstad.com/press/2025/work-life-balance-tops-pay-randstads-workmonitor-reveals/
2.2 American Attitudes Towards Work-life Balance – https://business.yougov.com/content/45322-american-attitudes-towards-work-life-balance
2.3 Work-Life Balance Statistics for 2024: A Global Perspective – https://hubstaff.com/blog/work-life-balance-statistics/
2.4 2024 State of Workplace Culture and Work-Life Balance Report – https://cake.com/empowered-team/workplace-culture-work-life-balance-report/
2.5 The State of Work-Life Wellness 2024 – https://wellhub.com/en-us/resources/research/work-life-wellness-report-2024/
2.6 20+ Vital Work-Life Balance Statistics [2023]: Is Work Life Balance Your Second Priority? – https://www.zippia.com/advice/work-life-balance-statistics/
2.7 Survey: 82% of Employees Worldwide Expect Employers to Support Their Work-Life Balance – https://www.mindspace.me/pr/2023-09-14_survey-employees-expect-employers-to-support-work-life-balance/
2.8 Workplace and community social capital and burnout among professionals of health and welfare services for the seniors: A multilevel analysis in Japan – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33131153/
2.9 Building a Sense of Community in the Workplace: The Key to Employee Engagement – https://www.employeeconnect.com/building-a-sense-of-community-in-the-workplace-the-key-to-employee-engagement/
2.10 2024 Workplace Wellness Research – https://mhanational.org/2024-workplace-wellness-research/
2.11 The Importance of Social Connections in the Workplace – https://www.webmdhealthservices.com/blog/the-importance-of-social-connections-in-the-workplace/
2.12 The Increasing Importance of a Best Friend at Work – https://www.gallup.com/workplace/397058/increasing-importance-best-friend-work.aspx
2.13 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: Living and Working with Purpose In A Transforming World – https://www.deloitte.com/global/en/issues/work/content/genz-millennialsurvey.html
2.14 2024 Retention Report – https://info.workinstitute.com/hubfs/2024%20Retention%20Report/Work%20Institute%202024%20Retention%20Report.pdf
2.15 Most Americans Feel Good About Their Job Security but Not Their Pay – https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2024/12/10/most-americans-feel-good-about-their-job-security-but-not-their-pay/
2.16 Gartner Survey Finds Just 46% of Employees Are Satisfied with Their Career Development – https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-03-20-gartner-finds-46-percent-employees-are-satisified-with-career-development