MGMA Week in Review: Addressing Burnout and Enhancing Patient Experience
Download MP3Hi, everyone. This is Daniel Williams, host of the MGMA Podcast Network, and I'm a senior editor at MGMA. And we are back with another MGMA Weekend Review podcast along with cohost Colleen Luckett, an editor and writer here at MGMA. And for Weekend Review, every episode, we're gonna bring you some of the latest health care industry news, perhaps occasional policy updates that impact your medical practices, and also just expert insights and stories that we find interesting. Colleen, what are you finding interesting out there?
Colleen Luckett:Hey, everyone. Ever focus so hard on fixing a problem that you somehow make it worse, like reorganizing your entire kitchen to be more efficient, and suddenly you can't find your own spoons? A similar paradox might be playing out in healthcare leadership right now. So let's kick this off with our latest MGMA Insights article. It's titled, can focusing on burnout cause more burnout?
Colleen Luckett:By our friend, Steve Brewer, and it highlights this problem and what you can do about it. So we all know burnout is a big issue in health care. Most of the attention has been on clinicians, but Brewer points out that administrative leaders are quietly burning out as well. A study from Witt Kiefer found that more than forty percent of health care execs say burnout is affecting their performance, and over sixty percent feel overwhelmed at work. Yet fewer than half have taken steps to support their own resilience according to an MDMA stat poll he cited.
Colleen Luckett:So here's where it gets interesting. Brewer argues that sometimes focusing too much on burnout itself without shifting our mindset can actually reinforce it. In other words, if we obsess over how burned out we feel without examining how we think about stress, we risk falling into a mental loop that keeps us stuck. That loop has a name, repetitive negative thinking or RNT. It's the habit of dwelling on what went wrong or could go wrong, basically the brain's default setting during tough times.
Colleen Luckett:Research shows that RNT doesn't just dampen our mood, it actually changes how our brain responds to stress, making us more reactive, less rational, and less able to solve the very problems burning us out in the first place. So what's the alternative? Brewer pulls from the field of positive psychology to suggest a shift in focus. He highlights the broaden and build theory of positive emotions by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson. The idea is simple.
Colleen Luckett:Positive experiences broaden our thinking and help us build emotional and social resources that we can draw on later. It's not about ignoring the problems. It's more about creating enough mental space to approach them creatively with curiosity and resilience. And that can mean intentionally pausing to notice moments of gratitude, reconnecting with joy, or simply reframing negative assumptions with more balance. Over time, this kind of mindset shift actually rewires the brain, literally building new pathways that support well-being and clearer thinking.
Colleen Luckett:Now Burr's not suggesting toxic positivity. He's clear that trying to feel happy, quote, unquote, all the time isn't the goal, and pretending things are fine when they're not can backfire. Instead, the takeaway is about balance, recognizing when we're stuck in a downward spiral of rumination and taking small consistent steps to broaden our awareness and shift our mental lens. So for practice leaders, this is a call to action. Yes.
Colleen Luckett:Invest in structural changes like flexible scheduling and workload reduction, but also look inward. How you interpret stress and how often you catch yourself spiraling into worst case scenarios can have just as much impact on your ability to lead, innovate, and feel grounded. So you can read the full article on the MGMA website under the article section, or as always, look for the link in our show notes from this episode. Okay, Daniel. Over to you.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. Colleen, thank you for that, and I'll add one more thing. We interviewed Steve Brewer for the MGMA Insights podcast and published it earlier this week. So we'll be sure and put a direct link to that podcast conversation as well. So lot of content there.
Daniel Williams:And, it's just so helpful to talk to him and just learn some tools and tips to work through that focusing on things that are negative, trying to change, as you said, calling that mindset. So not always focused on the negative. And, again, it's not being Pollyanna ish or whatever. Can I say that anymore? Has that been ruled out of saying things?
Colleen Luckett:So well, but I'm we're the same age, so I don't know if one of our younger listeners would know what that is.
Daniel Williams:But Good point. Alright. So let's ease into something that hits close to home for all of us in our next story, and that's the patient experience. Not the clinical side, not the billing codes of EHR workflows, but the very human, very personal part of care that often makes or breaks someone's relationship with a practice. This article first appeared in Physicians Practice.
Daniel Williams:That article is called nine ways to improve the patient experience at your practice. It was published April 28 and written by Keith Reynolds. Also, fact checked Christopher Mazzolini. So with this article, let's start at the beginning here. Let's start at the front door.
Daniel Williams:Literally, patients walk in. Maybe they're anxious. Maybe they're frustrated. Maybe they're just traffic and wrangled toddlers, and now they're five minutes late for their annual visit. That first impression, that's gold.
Daniel Williams:A warm greeting, eye contact, maybe even someone who remembers their name from last time. That's the kind of stuff that sticks. It says, you're not just a number here. And then the waiting room. Nobody loves a but we all know it's part of the deal.
Daniel Williams:Still, there's a difference between feeling ignored and feeling informed. Just letting folks know what's going on. Hey. We're running ten minutes behind today. Thank you so much for your patience.
Daniel Williams:That can really go a long way. And it doesn't hurt if that waiting room has a little thought behind it. Perhaps, as we talked about previously on other podcast here, maybe some updated magazines, the People magazine from six years ago. That just doesn't sell the practice. Also, think about a phone charging station, maybe even a playlist that says we care more than we gave up.
Daniel Williams:One thing that the article really drove home, and this is a biggie, is communication. Not just what you say, but how you say it. Clear, calm, and with empathy. Patients don't expect you to solve everything in one visit, but they do wanna feel heard. And when you follow-up, even just a short message or phone call, that's the kind of thing that builds trust over time.
Daniel Williams:They also talked about using tech wisely, not in a way that creates more fit friction, but the opposite, tools that let people schedule online, check-in from their phones, shoot over a quick message, all through a secure portal. Convenience is care, especially when patients are juggling work, kids, and everything else life throws their way. And maybe the most powerful point, creating a culture where patient experience is everyone's job, not just the front desk or the provider, everyone, from the billing team to the medical assistant to the person mopping the floors. When everyone buys into that idea that kindness and care matter, patients can feel that. It shows.
Daniel Williams:So, yeah, nine ways to improve the patient experience might sound like a checklist, but really, it's a mindset. It's about staying human in a world that sometimes feels mechanical. That's where the real magic of health care happens. Colleen, back over to you.
Colleen Luckett:AAFP warns of dangerous precedent in health care policy highlights growing concerns among physician organizations about new policies affecting medical care. The American Academy of Family Physicians issued a statement warning against state and federal actions that they say interfere with the patient physician relationship and undermine clinical autonomy. Their concern allowing nonmedical actors to influence care decisions could set a So there's been a lot of media buzz lately about president Trump's first a hundred days back in office. How it's reshaping everything from immigration to international relations. And I'm thinking of Steve Brewer's article we've started out with and ruminating on bad thoughts right now.
Colleen Luckett:That's a timely article. But anyway, what does Trump's first a hundred days mean for health care specifically? A recent medical economics article published April 30 entitled a dangerous precedent. Much of this concern stems from changes under the health and human services secretary RFK junior, who has led a sweeping reorganization of the department. That's included the loss of nearly 20,000 employees, disruptions at the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, and funding freezes, especially around chronic disease and LGBTQ plus health.
Colleen Luckett:The administration has also reinstated the Mexico City policy, expanded the Hyde Amendment and frozen title x funding affecting access to reproductive health care. In some states, physicians face legal risks for providing gender affirming care even when it aligns with medical standards. On the economic side, while a new drug pricing executive order expands Medicare negotiations, it's paired with a potential investigation into pharmaceutical imports raising concerns about delays and cost increases. And looming in congress is a $1,500,000,000,000 budget proposal with major Medicaid reforms and cuts, which could directly affect practices, hospitals, and state programs. The AFP joins the AMA, ACP, and ACOG in cautioning against the politicking of care.
Colleen Luckett:As they put it, physicians must be able to practice evidence based medicine in consultation with their patients without interference. Public opinion is split. A Harvard debaumont poll found 48% of Americans think the CDC will improve under this administration, while 52% think it will get worse. For MGMA members, this is a time to stay informed. These shifts could impact everything from staffing and reimbursement to compliance and patient access.
Colleen Luckett:And we will try to keep you updated here on MGMA week in review. Daniel, back to you.
Daniel Williams:Yeah. And I'll just put in a word for our government affairs team in DC that we've got a whole team there led by Anders Gilbert. And if you don't get their weekly newsletter, we will put a link in there in our episode show notes so you can access that because Anders and that team, they will keep you informed as well. So on to our next story. Thank you so much, Colleen, for that one.
Daniel Williams:Let's talk about something now that's easy to overlook but makes a massive difference, and that's onboarding new physicians. Not just the paperwork and ID badge part, but truly welcoming a new doctor into your practice in a way that sets them up for long term success. This article comes from the AMA, and it was written by Timothy Smith. He's a contributing news writer there, and it was published April twenty ninth of twenty twenty five. So the AMA recently published a thoughtful guide for residents entering their first attending job, and it's packed with insights that we, all of us on the administrative side or where we focus, should be paying close attention to.
Daniel Williams:Because how we welcome and support those new docs, that matters, and it can also shape their experience and your retention all from day one. One of the biggest takeaways, new physicians aren't just looking for a job. They're stepping into a whole new phase of their identity. They're going from trainee to full on provider. So ask yourself, are we giving them a road map, or are we just handing them the keys and saying, good luck?
Daniel Williams:So a strong onboarding program should include clear expectations, not just clinical protocols, but the culture of your practice. What does good communication look like here? How are patients documented? Who's the go to for quick questions? That level of clarity reduces anxiety and builds confidence fast.
Daniel Williams:Mentorship is another area that really matters. Even something as simple as pairing them with a more seasoned physician or an approachable administrator for regular check ins, that creates connection. That says, we're invested in you. And don't forget the tech side. Make sure they're fully trained on the EHR, billing systems, referral pathways, everything they'll touch in a day.
Daniel Williams:It's one thing to say, we use Epic, and another to actually support them through using it. Finally, and this is a big one, keep the feedback loop open. Give them space to ask questions, share frustrations, and feel heard. Early engagement and regular feedback can mean the difference between a physician who thrives and one who quietly starts browsing job boards. So if you're a practice leader, thinking about your next hire, think beyond recruitment.
Daniel Williams:Think onboarding. Think community. Because when you build a thoughtful, intentional onboarding practice, you're not just bringing on a new provider. You're building the future of your practice. Colleen, back over to you.
Colleen Luckett:So I'm going to continue your theme with what happens right before the onboarding physician recruitment. So you know that moment when a physician gives notice and you immediately start mentally calculating lost revenue, canceled appointments, and how long it'll take to fill the role? Yeah. This one's for you. So let's unpack the data from our latest MGMA stat poll from this week.
Colleen Luckett:We asked our members about physician recruitment. So thirty eight percent of respondents said the time to fill physician vacancies increased over the past year. Only nine percent reported improvement, and the rest are either holding steady or stuck in limbo. So what's slowing things down? Groups reported a perfect storm of challenges.
Colleen Luckett:Physicians shortages, rising compensation demands, geographic disadvantages, and growing competition, especially from larger systems. Specialties like endocrinology, GI, and cardiology are especially tough. And beyond the usual suspects, practices pointed to factors like reimbursement uncertainty, noncompete clauses, and shifting candidate preferences, including work life balance, housing, and, yes, even the political climate. But here's the good news. Some practices are managing to move faster.
Colleen Luckett:Those seeing success are investing in early pipeline building, like tapping into residency and fellowship programs, offering competitive comp packages, using dedicated recruiters, and streamlining hiring workflows. A few even noted improvements thanks to internal culture and branding efforts that helped attract more candidates. The article outlines seven actionable steps from defining your ideal candidate and strengthening your employer brand to offering flexible schedules and personalized onboarding. And a key reminder, retention starts on day one. A smooth structured onboarding experience can be just as important as a great offer.
Colleen Luckett:MGMA members can access the physician recruitment playbook, the physician contract guidebook, and our early career physician recruiting and retention playbook. All great resources to help your team move from reactive hiring to a repeatable strategic process. And you can read the full article titled how to fill physician vacancies with the right person at the right time at mgma.com/MGMA-stat. And as always, if you want to help shape future MGMA resources, please sign up for MGMA stat by texting 233550. And that is it for me today, Daniel.
Daniel Williams:Alright. And that's gonna do it for this episode of MGMA weekend review. So if you liked what you heard, be sure to follow and subscribe to the MGMA Podcast Network wherever you get your podcast. You'll find links in the episode show notes to today's full stories as well as additional resources for medical practice leaders. Thank you so much for listening, and we'll see you next time.
Colleen Luckett:Thanks, everyone. See you next time.
