Radiology

Ask yourself: what is your current practice doing to alleviate burnout? Are they investing in programs to support your professional and personal life? Or does the burden fall on you to figure it all out?

Burnout is a horrible thing. And while recent research suggests it affects half of all radiologists, women are bearing the brunt – with 56% of female physicians reporting they’re burned out compared to only 41% of their male counterparts.

Why? In addition to the common burnout factors affecting all radiologists, researchers have also concluded that women are disproportionally shouldering the burden of increased demands at home like eldercare, childcare, and family healthcare. This and the lack of flexibility within practices to balance work and life are making it all the more important for women to consider where they work, what impacts their happiness, and the control they have over their own burnout.

Today marks the fourth annual National Women Physicians Day. This event celebrates Elizabeth Blackwell’s birthday; she was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree. As I’m a native Syracusan and alumnus of SUNY Upstate Medical University, Dr. Blackwell’s story is truly one of the most inspiring notes of history for me.

Today, 96% of healthcare facilities use temporary physicians to fill short term staffing needs. When it comes to radiology, many are discovering that teleradiology providers are a better alternative to traditional locum tenens.

When COVID-19 forced medical facilities to delay elective procedures across the country, imaging volume plummeted over 50% for many providers almost overnight. While volume has started to recover, the pandemic is forcing imaging service providers to aggressively rethink their business strategies, a key component of which is radiologist staffing.