These are certainly difficult times in medicine. Burnout is taking an excessive toll on the lives and performance of many physicians. This reflects itself in areas of patient safety and liability. There is widespread discontent and decreasing work satisfaction. This change has been demonstrated in comparative surveys done in 1986 and 1997 of US physicians. Why such deep-rooted unhappiness? Colleagues are becoming more and more disgruntled with the many dynamic changes occurring in healthcare. Much more time is spent complaining of all the undesirable aspects of our profession, of the reduced rewards and increased risks, and of the loss of dreams of service and satisfaction. Loss of control over one's life and business along with increased scrutiny, as with many HMO situations, are negative factors.
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