CompHealth Survey: Physician Stress Affects Patient Care

Online, April 23, 2012 (Newswire.com) - A recent survey from one of the healthcare industry's leading providers of locum tenens workers reveals some interesting and startling results among the nation's physicians. CompHealth (www.comphealth.com), the Utah-based staffing company, conducted the research which clearly showed doctors are concerned about the quality of their work due to stress, insufficient rest, and the monotony that sometimes comes with the job.

The survey further stresses the need for medical institutions to address these issues for the sake of patient care. According to the survey 63% of the respondents were generally concerned about the impact of stress related factors on patient care. CompHealth reminds medical facilities that one of the best ways to alleviate the pressure and stress felt by doctors is to use locum tenens to fill staffing gaps rather than expecting current staff to work harder.

Locum tenens staff are temporary workers who fulfill short-term assignments on a contract basis. CompHealth locum tenens work side-by-side with your full-time staff, enabling them to work a more normal schedule and take off time when it's needed and deserved. Locum tenens physicians benefit in that they are able to work under a more flexible schedule while also enjoying the professional development and personal fulfillment of working in different locations. The experience gleaned by CompHealth locum tenens is invaluable as they move from one facility to the next.

"Enabling physicians to control their work schedule helps reduce stress, ensuring they are working to the best of their ability when they are examining patients," said CompHealth president Melissa Byington. "It's startling that 67 percent of all physicians we surveyed are often forced to choose between resting and effectively serving patients. As a locum tenens practitioner, physicians are less likely to have to make that choice."

Some of the highlights of the Physician Stress Test include:

- 74% of hospital physicians are less likely to get the rest they need as compared to 64% of private practice physicians
- 45% of survey respondents believe patient care would improve if more doctors had avenues to avoid burnout and monotony; an additional 28% felt the opportunity to work on new cases was important in this area
- 25% believe the quality of care would improve if doctors were given the opportunity to contribute to under-served areas
- 10% indicated they would appreciate working on high-risk cases that challenge them to improve quality of care

A Solution in Locum Tenens

The CompHealth survey further showed that some 92% of respondents had a very favorable view of locum tenens practice and believed it to be a worthy option for physicians to explore. The survey cited the fact that hospitals and other facilities are able to fill open positions with professionals who are already credentialed and certified, and come to the job refreshed and ready to serve. These workers provide top-notch patient care which results in better patient outcomes.

Survey Methodology

The CompHealth survey was conducted among 1,000 American physicians, age 25 or older, from February 3-17 of this year. Wakefield Research conducted the study via an e-mail invitation to participate in an online survey. A full methodology is available upon request and all results are subject to typical sampling variation.