Stress and Provider Retention in Underserved Communities

linicians and staff in health care organizations experience stress and burnout due to both job conditions and unique pressures of the medical field. Stress and burnout have consequences not only for the health and wellness of employees but for patients through poor quality care. Health care organizations and systems are affected when it causes decreased productivity and even attrition. In safety net health centers, the loss of clinicians and staff and decreased productivity further strain an already resource-poor system, creating a vicious cycle as more demands are placed on those who remain. Acutely aware of this phenomenon, the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) sought to better understand stress and burnout experienced by its members in hopes of developing strategies and interventions to break this cycle. This column describes the initial findings from a survey conducted to assess stress and burnout among ACU members.