As Omicron Continues to Fuel Increased Infection in Many States, Staff Burnout Looms

We don’t have to tell you that these are hard times to be working in an urgent care center. Staffing levels have been tight for years, and the increasing volume of patients flocking to every available outlet for testing or treatment while staff members may be going out for extended sick time due to their own infection is bringing the situation to a head. John Davidhizar, MD told KBTX TV news in Bryan, TX as much in a report the station aired recently. The medical director of Integrity Urgent Care, Davidhizar was quoted in the story as saying, “with this new Omicron variant, it’s almost like that entire peak of patients is happening all at once, or that entire curve of patients is.” Again, while this may not be news to you many patients are seemingly unaware why they’re not seeing the same level of service they’re used to from their favorite urgent care centers—and some are taking their frustration out on the staff, according to Davidhizar, thereby increasing the risk for burnout and moral distress among urgent care providers. JUCM published an article that may be of help in warding off the damaging effects of the pandemic on your team. You can read The Covid-19 Pandemic Is Making Burnout Worse for Physicians Already in Crisis in our archive right now.