The research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, is based on six years of interviews with hundreds of emergency physicians across the country. It found that 10 per cent have left emergency medicine because of burnout, while nearly half have reduced their hours and one in five have taken time away from the field.
Researchers said many doctors feel the health-care system is “broken.” They pointed to overcrowded emergency departments, hallway medicine, staff shortages, and increasing workloads as major causes of stress.
The study describes burnout as emotional exhaustion, feeling disconnected from patients, and a loss of personal accomplishment. It warns that burnout can lead to depression, job dissatisfaction, medical errors, and more doctors leaving the profession.
Researchers and physicians say governments need to improve staffing, reduce overcrowding, and invest in emergency care to help keep doctors in the workforce and ensure patients receive safe, quality care.
