Table 4. Recommended national and state reforms.

Reduce and streamline required documentation in the medical record and determine what elements must be completed by physicians and what elements can be completed by advanced practice providers and/or other appropriately trained nonphysicians

Seek broad input from physicians practicing in diverse settings and specialties to improve current and future regulations

Improve the preapproval process for tests, medications, and procedures

Integrate maintenance of certification requirements with standard continuing medical education requirements

Eliminate questions on licensing applications related to diagnosis or treatment for mental health conditions and replace them with questions related to current impairment

Advocate that the National Institutes of Health increase funding of research to evaluate implications of clinician well-being for the care delivery system and determine how to improve the work and life of health care professionals

Encourage health care institutions to routinely assess, monitor, and improve dimensions of well-being as a standard component of their performance metrics develop new practice models that increase efficiency and productivity while lessening the dependence on physicians performing clerical and administrative tasks acknowledge the high work hours (including many uncompensated hours of “work after work”) for physicians and work to improve flexibility in their schedules and enhance work–life integration prioritize physician well-being

Source: based on information from Shanafelt et al. ²¹