Burnout is one of the most common global health problems that affect physicians in different medical specialties. But in particular, radiologists are experiencing very high rates of burnouts, and this trend is not expected to end soon. Burnout is a kind of exhaustion, in which the practitioner feels depersonalized and unaccomplished, and compromises his physical and mental health. This condition is harmful not only for the radiologist but also for patient’s health, as it can lead to severe errors and care events. If a physician is not working at his best, they lose their productivity as well as money.

These days, the technology of radiology is being applied in diverse fields of diagnosis and treatment. More and more experiments are being made in radiology, as a result of which the workload of radiologists has reached great extents, and more than 50% of them are suffering from burnouts. If you are a radiologist and starting to feel the burden of work, then here we will discuss a few ways that you can use to stay prepared for the burnout and tackle it in a productive way. Here are a few tips.

Take Vacation from Time to Time: Going on a vacation from time to time will relax your mind and help you to get back to work with a reinvigorated body and mind. For some time, think about yourself and don’t think that your patients will suffer. They may wait for their process to be done for a few days, or they may get another expert to get it done. Don’t worry! Relaxing your body and mind is more important than retaining business.

Take Some Time Away from the Monitor: As a radiologist, your reading console is always your priority. But constantly sitting at your monitor will strain your eyes, tire your mind, and increase your risk of developing several health problems. Set a reminder on your phone to remind you to get up and walk around the office for a few minutes. You can even go to the restroom and have some me-time there.

Embrace Artificial Intelligence: There has been a lot of speculation about the possibility of AI replacing radiologists, but this is not true for a number of good reasons. Instead of fearing AI, embrace it and make the best use of it for your support. Implementation of AI guided systems can actually help in not only reducing your workload but also increasing patient satisfaction and getting positive outcomes. When you put AI systems in place, you stay free to concentrate on more complex actions that cannot be accomplished without human intervention.

Find Ways to Destress Yourself: You can destress yourself not only by going on a vacation but by spending some good time with your family also. This is one of the greatest ways of unwinding and de-stressing yourself after a hectic day at the office. If your interests lie somewhere else, go ahead and try that. Spend time with family and friends, do some hobby activity, do what you like, speak to people you gel well with, etc. An occasional wine glass is acceptable, but you should avoid consuming excessive alcohol, as it may feel good for a few hours, but can have a negative impact in the long run. Take a weekly off and stay completely away from work on that day.

Prioritize Your Health Over All: A healthy radiologist needs a full night’s sleep to stay active and alert. Lack of rest can compromise with physical and mental health, and lead to errors at work. Exercise, meditate, spend time outdoors, and do whatever you like to give attention to your health. You may not have time to go to a gym, but find some time to exercise while working as well. Set a limit to the maximum number of appointments you can handle in a day, no matter what.

Create a Friendly Atmosphere at Work: Whether you are an employer or an employed, try to have friendly relations with people at work and promote a sense of community. Communicate with them, laugh out, keep the atmosphere light, and promote a feeling of mutual help and understanding. Do not talk about work all the time. Talk to each other about personal life, family life, individual interests, relationships, happy and sad news, etc. This will keep you comfortable at work and prevent burnout.

Assess Burnout: Develop assessment methods to identify if you or someone in your workplace is on the brink of having a burnout. These procedures should assess the severity of the burnout and suggest a suitable course of action, such as identifying problems, working towards solving them, taking time off, etc.

Burnout is a real problem among radiologists that can have a drastic impact on the health industry. If left unaddressed, it can lead to serious medical errors that may lead to serious patient consequences. We, at SepStream, offer high-end AI tools and equipment that can take the work off your shoulders and reduce the risk of burnout