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A 4-day workweek may reduce physician burnout, lower costs, improve patient care, and boost work-life balance, benefiting healthcare systems overall.

Over the past five years, physician burnout has become a significant issue within the healthcare community. According to a study published in the Journal of Invasive Cardiology, approximately 50% of physicians reported experiencing burnout within the past year. Burnout not only poses physical and emotional risks for physicians but also potentially jeopardizes patient care quality. Authors of the article highlight that patients treated by burnt-out physicians may face substandard care, creating a cyclical effect that leads to systemic problems within healthcare organizations. These issues further exacerbate physician stress and patient dissatisfaction, ultimately driving up healthcare costs while reducing effectiveness.

The financial burden of physician burnout is substantial. Article authors note that at an organizational level, physician burnout costs the US healthcare system a staggering $4.6 billion annually, translating to approximately $7,600 per physician. These costs are affiliated with decreased productivity, higher employee turnover, lower patient-perceived safety, and greater patient dissatisfaction.

Medical writer Anastasia Climan, RDN, CD-N, emphasizes that sustainable solutions to burnout must provide financial benefits to healthcare organizations if they are to be adopted. Francisco M. Torres, MD, Health and Wellness Director at the Florida Spine Institute, suggests implementing a 4-day workweek with flexible scheduling as a cost-effective remedy. While Dr. Torres acknowledges that jam-packed physicians’ schedules may not be conducive to losing a full day of work, he has had direct, positive experience with a 4-day workweek, noting that such a model can help healthcare organizations save on overhead costs for items like utilities and office supplies. Dr. Torres finds that doctors with 4-day workweeks are less stressed, translating to fewer medical errors and better physician-patient relationships, ultimately reducing healthcare costs. Importantly, this model maintains physician salaries while promoting work-life balance. 

MayoClinic research has found that a flexible work schedule that considers work-life balance is necessary when considering physician burnout. Climan cites the Mt. Sinai hospital network as an example of an institution successfully adopting this approach. For two years, Mt. Sinai has offered a 4-day workweek model to nurses and nurse managers across 100 units and practices. This initiative has demonstrated the effectiveness of flexible scheduling and yielded positive results, with turnover rates of 17% and vacancy rates of 7%—significantly lower than the national averages of 22.5% and 15.7%, respectively.

Climan stresses that healthcare organization leadership support is vital for the success of flexible workweek models. Physicians may hesitate to embrace flexible schedules without strong backing from healthcare organization leaders due to fears of negative administrative repercussions. With leadership support, however, physicians can adopt a 4-day workweek while maintaining compensation, achieving work-life balance, and delivering safer, more effective, and more satisfying patient care.