A study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine found outpatient physicians experience more burnout than inpatient physicians.
The study defines burnout as a combination of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a low sense of personal accomplishment that negatively affects work life.
Researchers statistically analyzed published data on burnout from 1974, when the term "burnout" was first introduced, to 2012. They found no significant difference between reported depersonalization or personal accomplishment between outpatient physicians and inpatient physicians, but outpatient physicians did report more emotional exhaustion than inpatient physicians.
The authors suggest factors such as a non-structured shift schedule, patient volumes, paperwork and lack of community support could attribute to the higher burnout rates in outpatient physicians. Additionally, they say better comparative studies regarding burnout are needed.
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