The cure for burnout isn’t resilience — it’s redesign

Burnout isn’t a side effect of practicing medicine. It’s a symptom of a system built without physicians in mind. For years, health care has treated burnout as a personal issue, prescribing wellness seminars and resilience training while ignoring the structural forces driving clinicians to the brink. But the truth is clear: When the system is broken no amount of mindfulness can fix it.

Every physician knows the weight of “pajama time,” logging in after hours to finish notes, sacrificing sleep and family time to keep up with the relentless demands of modern medicine. It’s not just exhausting; it’s demoralizing. For too long, burnout has been framed as a personal failing or a lack of grit or resilience. Rather, burnout is the predictable outcome of a system that demands more than it supports.

Recent data shows that while burnout rates have declined from the pandemic’s peak, nearly half of all physicians still report significant job-related stress, with primary care and frontline specialties hit hardest.The consequences are stark: The declining number of primary care physicians, reduced working hours and early retirements are eroding access to care and threatening the quality of our health care system.

A study from the American Medical Association found turnover of primary care physicians results in nearly $1 billion in excess health care expenditures for public and private payers annually, with $260 million attributable to burnout. Nationally, burnout has been reported to cost the health care industry an estimated average of $4.6 billion dollars.

Most importantly, when physicians burn out patients suffer the consequences, such as increased medical errors, lower satisfaction and poorer clinical outcomes. It is also a major driver of workforce attrition, contributing to longer wait times, reduced productivity and gaps in care delivery.

Burnout is not just a workforce issue; it is a national crisis with far-reaching implications for patient care and the future of health care.

Redesigning the physician experience

If we want to preserve the integrity of our health care system and the well-being of those who power it, we must stop treating burnout as a personal challenge and start redesigning the physician experience, prioritizing shared governance, workflow innovation, team-based support, career flexibility and a culture of care.

Shared Governance

Physicians are at their best when they have agency and a voice in shaping policies and practices that affect their day-to-day and patient engagement. By shifting the paradigm to give doctors more autonomy, it allows them to provide better care and feel a greater sense of ownership over their work. Involving them in organizational decisions not only improves job satisfaction but also ensures that physicians understand how their activities impact the broader business strategy – connecting them to the values and mission of the organization.

Workflow Innovation

Administrative burden is the single greatest driver of burnout. To address this, health systems should invest in technology solutions that streamline documentation to reduce time and energy spent. At Endeavor Health, our pilot of an ambient AI platform resulted in a 63% improvement in work satisfaction, a 51% reduction in cognitive load and a 126% increase in perceived patient connection —all helping to reduce burnout by 30%.

These innovations are not just about efficiency; they restore the human connection at the heart of medicine. By reducing “pajama time” and administrative overload, we give physicians the space to focus on what matters most: caring for patients.

Team-Based Support

No physician should shoulder the burden of care alone. By redesigning care delivery to ensure physicians are supported by a dynamic, multidisciplinary team —from social workers and pharmacists to care transition teams — systems can reduce administrative overload and enhance patient access. Centralized triage teams, for example, can help manage inboxes and reduce after-hours work, while 24/7 nurse triage and care managers can help address the supply-demand mismatch between patients and physicians.

Team-based care models optimize resources and create space for early intervention, identifying patients at risk of coverage lapses or poor outcomes and connecting them with the right resources before they reach crisis points. For physicians, this means less time spent navigating administrative hurdles and more time doing what they do best: caring for patients. When care is collaborative, physicians can focus on complex cases and build deeper relationships with their patients.

Career Flexibility and Development

Physicians’ needs and aspirations evolve throughout their careers. By offering personalized career pathways, whether a high-pressure leadership role or a balanced schedule to support family life, organizations can meet clinicians where they are and help them grow into where they want to be. Investing in professional development keeps physicians engaged and growing, while flexibility helps retain top talent and supports work-life harmony.

Culture of Care

A truly supportive, inclusive environment is the bedrock of physician well-being. Thoughtful touches, like family-friendly events and curated amenities in the lounge, create an environment where connection and appreciation thrive. Even the small gestures like a warm meal or a moment of recognition serve as powerful reminders of an organization’s commitment to a workplace where physicians feel seen, valued and sustained.

Building systems that care

The cure for burnout isn’t more workshops or training. It lies in fundamentally rethinking how health care systems are designed to support physicians.

By aligning culture, workflows and leadership practices with the realities of clinical life, organizations can build resilient, high-performing systems equipped to meet the challenges ahead. Investing in physicians, equipping them with the right tools and fostering a collaborative, compassionate environment unlocks their full potential to deliver exceptional care. Not just to patients, but to their teams, too.

The time to reimagine the physician experience is now. Not only for the well-being of clinicians, but for the patients and communities who rely on them every day. Let’s build a future where care begins with those who provide it.

Sanjeeb Khatua, MD, MBA, MPH, is Chief Physician Officer of Endeavor Health