How to Reduce Burnout in Allied Health

I was delighted to contribute to this post for Theratrak, an application for families having therapy to save clinics time. 

Here is the link to the original article and the content shared by the wonderful Laura Simmons and her team at Theratrak.

Introduction to Burnout in Allied Health

Burnout in allied health is more than just a buzzword - it's a serious and important issue for everyone to be aware of. Burnout doesn’t just impact the healthcare professionals experiencing the burnout, but their teams are impacted, their quality of care could be impacted, and the community around that person is impacted too. 

The global pandemic highlighted the hard work of the healthcare industry - and also had lingering effects on the entire care industry with many experiencing burnout both during and after intense bouts of work. 

We know that most allied health professionals and clinicians are extremely dedicated to their participants and will work tirelessly for them - sometimes until they’re forced to take a break with an illness.  

At Theratrak, we understand the gravity of burnout and are committed to addressing it through providing innovative digital tools that save clinics time.

Read more below about:

• what is burnout

• signs of burnout

• burnout prevention

• key insights from Dr Jo Braid, Burnout Coach and Brain Injury Rehabilitation Doctor

No more note writing after dinner! 

What is burnout in allied health?

Understanding Burnout: Importance, Causes, and Resilience

Burnout is characterised by emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. 

Feelings of burnout can appear through symptoms like fatigue, cynicism, and a feeling of reduced personal accomplishment. 

Dedicated healthcare workers around the world are at risk of burnout due to the demanding nature of these roles. Burnout is particularly concerning within the allied health industry where clinicians are responsible for participant outcomes and the median age for most roles is in their 30s. 

In an 2022 survey, almost 50% of allied health professional and disability support workers felt burned out at least half the time. 

“Address burnout before it takes hold on your whole life. Burnout recovery is 100% possible.”

- Dr Jo Braid, Burnout Coach and Brain Injury Rehabilitation Doctor

Causes of Burnout in Allied Health

Burnout is common across the healthcare industry - and many other fast-paced or high growth industries. 

Several factors contribute to burnout in allied health:

• High workloads or lack of efficiency: Many healthcare professionals face continuous high workloads or lack of digital tools, exacerbated by staffing shortages and administrative burdens. With lots of admin to complete in healthcare, many clinicians can become overwhelmed by the lack of control. 

• Poor work-life balance: The demands of the job often lead to overtime and a lack of breaks, pushing professionals towards exhaustion.

• Emotional strain: Daily exposure to participant suffering and high-stakes environments without adequate support leads to emotional fatigue.

Signs of Burnout: What to Lookout for in Teams 

When someone is experiencing burnout, often they don’t realise it’s happening and are trying to push-through without stopping to rest. It’s important to encourage others to take time out if they experience signs of burnout. It’s easier to rest before burnout makes you rest. 

Signs of burnout to lookout for in allied health:

• Feeling drained, overwhelm or stressed in relation to workload or processes 

• Forgetfulness, distraction or poor concentration

• Low confidence, being cynical or overly critical 

• Feeling down, sad, angry or depressed more frequency 

• Using stimulants like coffee, food, alcohol or medications to feel better 

• Being unable to sleep 

Because burnout is like operating when you’re not in optimum health, if left untreated or if people ignore signs of burnout, it can lead to more serious health issues like insomnia, fatigue, or substance abuse. 

Burnout Coach and Brain Injury Rehabilitation Doctor, Dr Jo Braid discusses on her podcast the five most common changes in clinicians due to burnout: 

• Emotional exhaustion

• Cynicism

• Decreased personal accomplishment

• Insularity

• Cognitive dysfunction

Burnout Prevention: Building Resilience & Mental Wellbeing in Allied Health 

To combat burnout, it is crucial to build resilience and promote mental wellbeing among healthcare workers. Clinicians and healthcare administrators have a responsibility to support their staff in preventing burnout. Clinical leaders should be leading by example to maintain a healthy work-life balance and support teams to recognise signs of burnout for prevention. 

At Theratrak, we advocate for:

• Workplace interventions: Implementing healthy workload management, reducing administrative tasks through digital solutions, and fostering a supportive work environment.

• Supportive leadership: Open communication within teams about workload, coping mechanisms and breaks from work 

• Personal resilience strategies: Encouraging self-care, such as regular physical activity, adequate rest, and stress management techniques like yoga and mindfulness.

• Professional support: Facilitating open communication about mental health and providing access to mental health resources and counselling.

Clinics can support their workforce through regular check-ins, healthy workloads, innovative tools that help to streamline admin, and professional support when required. 

One key tip from Burnout Coach Dr Jo Braid is to celebrate your achievements and recognise the achievements of those around you too.

A Call to Action for Clinics To Support Clinicians

Burnout remains a pervasive issue in the allied health industry, driven by factors like overwhelming workloads, inadequate support, and the emotional demands of healthcare. 

By recognising the signs early and implementing strategic interventions, we can safeguard the mental health of our professionals and, by extension, the quality of care they provide.

Theratrak is dedicated to combating this issue by enhancing digital support and encouraging proactive health management strategies. 

Our goal is not only to improve the workflow for healthcare professionals but also to contribute to a healthier, more resilient workforce.

Through the integration of our digital tools, we aim to alleviate the administrative load and support allied health professionals in managing their day-to-day tasks more effectively, ultimately contributing to reduced burnout rates and improved care outcomes.