A new study by the Canadian Medical Association Journal has found that one in ten emergency room physicians are leaving the profession due to burnout in what they call a “broken” health care system.
High patient volumes, long wait times, overcrowding and “bed blocking” are among the issues emergency room staff have been dealing with right across Canada and the study shows it’s taking a toll on physician well-being.
Participants were invited to take part in three surveys between November of 2022 and January of 2025, with a response rate of 67 per cent..
Of the 410 participants, 41 had left the profession citing high emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization caused by a “broken health care system,” “unrealistic” societal expectations, and “insurmountable” workplace challenges.
As a result, almost half of respondents reported that they had reduced their work hours, and 10 per cent reported leaving the profession. The CMAJ says provincial, regional and institutional health care leaders could reduce emergency physician burnout by following the recommendations made in a Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians report titled EM:POWER.
It called for the creation of Emergency Care Clinical Networks to coordinate service and HR planning, monitor gaps in health care, and the creation and support of team-based care to better serve patient needs.
