Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, released an advisory May 25 cautioning that ongoing health worker burnout may lead to a shortage of up to 139,000 physicians by 2033, with the largest effect on primary care and rural communities.
The report attributed health worker burnout to multiple factors, including excessive workloads, administrative burdens, limited say in scheduling and lack of organizational support, all exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the report, researchers who conducted a survey from June through September 2020 found that, of more than 1,100 health workers, 93 percent reported they were experiencing stress, 86 percent reported anxiety, 76 percent reported exhaustion and burnout, and 41 percent reported loneliness. A survey conducted in October 2020 found 49 percent of health workers reported burnout and 38 percent reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.
"Already, Americans are feeling the impact of staffing shortages across the health system in hospitals, primary care clinics, and public health departments," Dr. Murthy said in a video released with the report. "This will affect the public's ability to get routine preventive care, emergency care, and medical procedures. It will make it harder for our nation to ensure we are ready for the next public health emergency. Health disparities will worsen as those who have always been marginalized suffer more in a world where care is scarce. Costs will continue to rise."