How to address cardiologist burnout
Cardiologist burnout is a growing concern as professionals grapple with increasing workloads, administrative burdens and an ongoing shortage of healthcare providers.
Cardiovascular Business spoke with Laxmi Mehta, MD, a professor of medicine and chief well-being liaison and faculty director of the Gabbe Health and Wellness Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, on how her center is addressing these challenges. She spoke on this topic in sessions at the American Heart Association (AHA) 2025 meeting.
"We cannot ignore our own health. We often focus on our patients and ignore what we're doing for ourselves," Mehta explained. "Wellbeing is such an essential component of what we do every day for our patients, but we cannot provide the best care for our patients unless we are in the best optimal care. When we think about wellbeing at the Ohio State University, we've really focused on professional fulfillment."
Understanding the causes of cardiologist burnout
Mehta emphasized several key factors contributing to the burnout crisis. These things existed prior to COVID-19, but the pandemic amplified them and led to a rapid acceleration of cardiologists and allied clinicians changing jobs or leaving clinical practice. She said the main drivers for burnout include:
• Heavy workloads and staffing shortages, combined with an aging workforce that are leading to recruitment challenges.
• Rising demand due to a growing patient population and the increased complexity of cardiovascular diseases
• By 2030, the U.S. is expected to face a shortage of 120,000 cardiologists, with 40% of counties lacking any cardiovascular specialists.
• Many cardiologists are concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural communities underserved.
• Administrative burdens, such as excessive paperwork and EMR documentation requirements
• Work-life imbalance and stress
• Many cardiologists nearing retirement and not enough new trainees
Key among these concerns is the fact that doctors find themselves spending more time on a computer than with patients. Mehta said it is becoming critical to streamline these processes to improve physician job satisfaction. She said leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and more automated workflows may help, as long as clinicians can direct how these technologies are implemented and can still retain control.
The COVID-19 pandemic also amplified the need for work-life flexibility. This led to a shift in workforce expectations that has professionals seeking greater career flexibility, wanting more flexible hours, the desire to work from home when possible and the use of telemedicine. Some health systems have had to address these issues to maintain employees.
Possible solutions to cardiologist burnout
"What brings us joy on an everyday basis and makes us perform at the top?," Mehta asked. She said that question is at the basis for the outline of four strategic pillars the The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center uses that are designed to improve physician well-being and mitigate burnout though professional fulfillment. These include:
1. A culture of well-being that comes from the top down and the bottom up.
2. A focus on system optimization to enable the workday to flow more efficiently.
3. Team and individual resilience. How does the team work together through times of stress?
4. Physician wellness.
"How do we improve the practice and be efficient and be able to the things we want and reduce the unnecessary burdens that we have?" Mehta said is a key question of centers looking to improve the work environment and combat burnout. This should also encouraging hospitals to invest in technology that improves efficiency, such as AI-powered tools.
She said leadership must prioritize physician health and foster a supportive work environment to sustain that culture. This may include open discussions, offering mental health resources to all healthcare professionals and providing professional development and stress management programs.
Another key component of this strategy is emphasizing team-based care to distribute responsibilities effectively. Mehta said this can help encouraging collaboration and provide peer support to combat workplace isolation.
The need for staff retention strategies
Retention is a growing challenge in cardiology, with many professionals seeking career shifts due to burnout. Mehta advised that healthcare organizations should conduct regular check-ins with employees to understand their needs and concerns. Health systems also need to recognize the evolving expectations of professionals, including the desire for a better work-life balance, and create environments that make employees feel valued and supported.
Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: dfornell@innovatehealthcare.com