Navigating PTO for Hospitalists

Summary: Being a hospital doctor (hospitalist) is a high-pressure job, and the culture around taking breaks is finally changing. After the COVID-19 pandemic, more doctors started asking for Paid Time Off (PTO) to take care of their families, visit aging parents, or just recover from stress. Studies show that doctors who get paid time off are happier and less likely to burn out.

However, there is a catch: only about one-third of doctors who treat adults actually get PTO, while doctors who treat children are much more likely to have it. Hospitals are now trying different schedules and backup plans to fix this. The goal is to treat doctors like humans so they stay in their jobs longer and provide better care.

For more details, see the-hospitalist at the-hospitalist.org/hospitalist/article/40702/business-of-medicine/navigating-pto-for-hospitalists/ (opens in new tab)