Most Viennese docs fear burnout

A majority of Viennese doctors consider themselves under risk of suffering from burnout, a study has shown.

The Austrian Medical Council and organisation ARGE Burnout asked medics to participate in an online poll. More than 6,200 doctors across Austria took part in the poll. Nearly 1,200 of them work in Vienna.

The results show that 52.4 per cent of all doctors see a risk for them, while 59.2 per cent of medics employed in the capital city said the same. Nearly 11 per cent of all of the doctors who consider themselves as possible victims of burnout and depression rate the risk as immense. Almost 13 per cent of Vienna’s medics said so about themselves in the poll.

Experts think that doctors in Vienna are under extra pressure due to the large number of complex cases they have to deal with. Studies have also shown that residents of the capital seek the advice of medics in hospitals and practices more often than people living in Austria’s eight other provinces.

The Austrian Medical Council said the poll results necessitate a reform of the health sector with a special focus on flexible working hours and more facilities where doctors can leave their kids during the day to be looked after.

Only some weeks ago, ARGE Burnout said it found that around 20 per cent of Austria’s judges were threatened by suffering from burnout or feel effects linked to the disease already.

A spokesman for the Association of Austrian Judges reacted by suggesting that especially elderly colleagues should be allowed to take sabbaticals and work-part time to avoid being struck down by depression and burnout.