Global study shows clinicians suffering burnout twice as likely to be involved in patient safety incidents

This research adds to growing evidence that the poor mental health of healthcare providers jeopardizes the quality and the safety of patient care. Researchers in the U.K. and Greece set out to examine the association of burnout with the career engagement of physicians and the quality of patient care globally. The analysis found that burnout and poorer job satisfaction was greatest in hospital settings, physicians aged 31-50 years and those working in emergency medicine and ICUs, while burnout was lowest in GPs. They conclude urgent action is imperative for the safety of physicians, patients and health systems, including evidence-based and system-oriented interventions to design working environments that promote staff engagement and prevent burnout.