The burnout patient

Abstract

Physician and patient experiences of health care delivery are inextricably intertwined. Accelerating physician burnout has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. In parallel, health care has become a different experience for our patients. As a practicing neurologist over the last 40 years, I have observed changes in the expectations of colleagues and patients, whose feelings and concerns continually educate me. While I am not alone in advocating for intervention in current health care delivery methodology, not all are convinced. In discussing the repercussion of the "burnout patient," I seek to amplify the groundswell for change.