Burnout among healthcare professionals, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment, is a significant issue1. Not only does it affect the well-being of these professionals, but it also impacts their efficacy in delivering high-quality care1. Further, burnout has been associated with increased staff turnover, incurring substantial financial costs and disrupting healthcare delivery1.
In fact, estimates suggest that more than 50% of physicians and nurses are experiencing symptoms of burnout2. Consequently, the costs of replacing these vital staff members can be staggering: ranging from $37,700 to $58,400 for a full-time nurse and exceeding $500,000 for a physician1. Given these considerable figures, the cost-saving potential of reducing burnout and improving staff retention becomes evident.
To better illustrate this point, let’s consider the ROI from a successful intervention program targeting burnout, using an investment figure of $100,000. Based on previous studies, an investment of $30,000 in a burnout reduction program resulted in estimated savings of $1.29 million over one year due to increased clinician retention3. If we scale this up to a $100,000 investment, we could expect a potential saving of approximately $4.3 million over one year, offering an impressive ROI of 43:13. This demonstrates a compelling financial incentive for healthcare organizations to invest in the well-being of their staff.

View the five things you can do to start turning around burnout and exhaustion here!
The compelling ROI associated with decreasing burnout scores and improving staff retention showcases the profound value of investing in the well-being of our physicians and nurses3. These investments contribute to a healthier, more effective healthcare system, benefiting all stakeholders in the healthcare journey4. By investing in our healthcare professionals, we invest in the future of healthcare itself.
Footnotes
1. Dyrbye, L. N., West, C. P., & Sinsky, C. A. et al. (2017). Burnout Among Health Care Professionals: A Call to Explore and Address This Underrecognized Threat to Safe, High-Quality Care. NAM Perspectives.
2. Shanafelt, T. D., Boone, S., & Tan, L. et al. (2012). Burnout and Satisfaction With Work-Life Balance Among US Physicians Relative to the General US Population. Archives of Internal Medicine.
3. Shanafelt, T., Goh, J., & Sinsky, C. (2017). The Business Case for Investing in Physician Well-being. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
4. West, C. P., Dyrbye, L. N., & Shanafelt