Physician Resilience – a Stronger Canary is Never Enough

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Physician Resilience – a stronger canary is never enough

In my work with thousands of over-stressed physicians and over 175 healthcare organizations, I have learned one lesson over and over -

Resilience training alone is not sufficient to rein in the epidemic of physician burnout.

If you believe like I do that physicians are the canary in the coal mine of medicine.

Then it is clear the epidemic of physician burnout is an indictment of the conditions of the mine, not the resilience of the canary.

Tags: Physician Burnout, physician resilience

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Invest in Physician Wellbeing for a Triple Competitive Advantage

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

The Business Case for Investing in Physician Wellbeing - a Triple Competitive Advantage for Your Organization

In this blog post let's look at what happens when you run physician burnout in reverse. Here's what I mean.

Tags: Physician Burnout, Physician Leadership, physician resilience, physician wellbeing

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Physician Burnout - how did Einstein get to be such an expert?

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

How did Einstein get to be a physician burnout expert?

If you want to lower your stress levels, build a more balanced life and an more Ideal Practice, remember these two quotes from Albert Einstein and there is literally nothing you can't change.

Physician's Top 3 Work-Life Balance Shortcuts
FREE Online Video Training >> Lessons from our 40,000 doctor experience
5 CME Credits - Short Online Video Lessons
Tools for Daily, Weekly and Monthly Balance



Einstein Quote #1:

"The definition of insanity is -- doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."

Here is another way to say the same thing: If you always do what you've always done -- you will always get what you've always got.

"The only way to change anything in your life is to take new actions."

Yes it is that simple.

    • Stop venting.
    • Decide what you really want.
    • Take a baby step in that direction.
    • Repeat.

Thank you Albert!

Tags: Physician Burnout

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Stop Physician Burnout - how to reach out to a colleague in distress

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Physician Burnout - how to reach out to a colleague in distress - [VIDEO TRAINING]

If you could save someone's life in a two minute conversation, would you speak up?

The situation I am talking about isn't even really a conversation most of the time. It is just you, caring enough to ask a question. If all it took was a question to save a person's life, would you ask it?

Would you ask even if it feels awkward, takes what feels like courage, might make them uncomfortable and you are not sure what to do if they reach back to you for support?

Tags: Physician Burnout

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Stop Physician Burnout - What to do when a patient says thank you

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

To prevent physician burnout, you must manage your three internal Energy Banks

A Thank You from a patient or family member can top up all three accounts, but ONLY if you know what to do and say in that moment.

"Thank You" is like rocket fuel because it provides an instant infusion of Spiritual Energy, reconnecting you with the purpose in your practice.

Unfortunately, most doctors deflect thank yous and miss this golden opportunity to prevent burnout.

This is another lesson we never received in Med School, Residency or Fellowship - How to RECIEVE a Thank You with Elegance and Grace.

NOTE:
This is Part 3 of 3 in our Series on Physician Energy Management. Here are the first two:
Part 1 - Physician energy has nothing to do with batteries being run down
Part 2 - Physician's 3 Energy Banks


Physician's Top 3 Work-Life Balance Shortcuts
FREE Online Video Training >> Lessons from our 40,000 doctor experience
5 CME Credits - Short Online Video Lessons
Tools for Daily, Weekly and Monthly Balance
 

 

The Thank You Connection to Spirit

Spirit in your practice is your connection to PURPOSE. You must have reminders you are making a difference and serving a purpose regularly or your Spiritual Energy Bank becomes drained. At that point, the little voice in your head might start whispering, "What's the use."

That little voice phrase, "What's the use. I'm really not making a difference or serving a purpose here," is actually the third symptom of burnout.

Here's how I discovered the Thank You connection to Spirit.

It was by accident, early in my physician coaching practice. I was looking for a way to help doctors remember what they enjoy about seeing patients

I asked hundreds of my physician clients:

"Tell me about your last Ideal Patient Visit"

You know the one...

That special interaction, during an otherwise busy day, that lights you up. Where, at the end of the day, you said to yourself,

"oh yeah, that's why I became a doctor in the first place," with a little fist pump.

Or when you get home, you say, "Honey, sit down, I have to tell you what happened at work today."

About ten doctors into this inquiry, a pattern began to emerge that has held true to this day - across hundreds of doctors. 

97% of the time that feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment comes from two words the patient, or a family member, said to you.

Tags: Physician Burnout, physician patient communication

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Physician Burnout has nothing to do with your batteries being run down

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

The Battery Fallacy is one of the great myths of Physician Burnout. 

Until you understand how energy works inside the physiology of a doctor, you can't begin to protect yourself from burnout.

The Battery Fallacy

When I deliver a training at a Med Staff Meeting, I always ask, "Raise your hand if you have ever said, 'My batteries are run down, I just need a recharge'. All the hands go up. 

The batteries-run-down is the most common metaphor for burnout and it is TOTALLY INACCURATE.

The Battery Theory of physician energy management is a myth, a fallacy.

It is a blind spot.

It is a barrier to recognizing and preventing physician burnout. 

Our work with over 40,000 doctors in the last 12 years has revealed a working model of physician energy that provides:

An accurate representation of energy balance in doctors

The energetic source of the symptoms of burnout 

Burnout treatment and prevention mechanisms you can put into place today

Tags: Physician Burnout

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Work Life Balance for Physicians Power Tool - Scheduled Spontaneity

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Work Life Balance for Physicians – the power of “Scheduled Spontaneity”

When it comes to work-life balance for physicians, it's up to you. Left to its own devices, your career/practice will naturally dominate your larger life.

The two prime directives we learn in our medical education:
The Patient Comes First
and Never Show Weakness
virtually guarantee work will always come out on top. 

Work Life Balance is a task only you can accomplish. You must force the issue. Make it happen.

Fortunately the tools for this task are simple and the weekly life balancing process only takes a few minutes.

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Dike Drummond MD, Physician Burnout, Work Life Balance, physician burnout treatment, Physician Coaching

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Physician Burnout - Who Will Save Us

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

Physician Burnout - Who will Save Us?

Let's talk about what to do when you finally realize you are on your own, that no one and nothing is coming to rescue you.

========================

In most burnout blog posts and comments on the internet, physicians do the same thing - blame, justify and complain about the work stresses we are under.

  • Our struggles and frustrations are real
  • Our concerns are 100% legitimate
  • And yet pointing fingers and playing the victim will only keep you stuck DEEP in Einstein's Insanity Trap

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Learn More:

235 Proven Tools for Your Burnout Prevention Strategy
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The latest survey shows over 60% of doctors suffering from symptomatic burnout on any given office day. New levels of work stress seem to pile on each week. We all daydream of a lifeline, a rescue, a refuge, a break.

It is as if we are locked high in the castle tower, at the mercy of our evil captors - EMR, MOC, Preauths, RVU production quotas, the Call Center is a mess, and my Inbox is overflowing like a plugged toilet. Surely someone has dispatched a knight in shining armor to free us from this torment.

All of these concerns are true and valid AND understand one thing ...

Complaining and dreaming of a rescue is Playing the Victim - Pure and Simple

There is no one and nothing coming to save you

This yearning only distracts you from saving yourself

Let me set a framework for addressing burnout effectively - the straightest path to meaningful change in your work day and your organization.

So you can release the urge to blame, justify and complain,
hear that little voice calling you to take back your practice,
and know how to get started. 

 

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Dike Drummond MD, Physician Burnout, physician stress, Physician Leadership

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Physician Burnout – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Burnout

Posted by Dike Drummond MD

In my work with over stressed physicians I have noticed a consistent misunderstanding of the pathophysiology of burnout – the hidden methods physician burnout uses to sap your energy and steal your passion for medicine.

In this post I will show you how Physician Burnout does it’s dirty work.

Once you clearly understand how physician burnout operates, you will begin to see the simple ways you can keep the normal stresses of being a doctor — from crossing the line into threatening your career, your marriage and even your life.

Tags: physician burnout prevention, Physician Burnout, physician burnout treatment, physician burnout pathophysiology

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Time Management is a Myth – Manage This instead

Posted by Dike Drummond MD


Time management is a myth.

There is no such thing as time management.  You and I get 24 hours in each day – 168 of them in a week. No more and no less. The seconds in an hour are a fixed resource that no one can manipulate or manage or finagle or cajole or multiply. So let’s all stop focusing on ” time management ” and do something MUCH more productive instead.

Let me show you a simple checklist to
Manage Your Priorities instead

and create more work-life balance this week

Tags: Physician Burnout, time management

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