The Physician Exodus: Burnout and Bureaucracy in Modern Medicine

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reveals a growing crisis in U.S. healthcare: nearly 5% of physicians left clinical practice in 2019—a 40% increase in just six years. Burnout, bureaucracy, and declining reimbursements are pushing doctors out of medicine. For every hour spent with patients, physicians spend nearly two on documentation, leaving little time for family or rest. Fear of malpractice lawsuits further fuels “defensive medicine,” where unnecessary tests are ordered to avoid legal risks.

Financial pressures add to the strain. Adjusted for inflation, Medicare payments have dropped 33% since 2001, while costs have risen nearly 60%. Independent doctors are selling their practices to hospitals or private equity groups, which prioritize profits over care. As a result, physician autonomy is eroding, and burnout rates have reached 45%.

The consequences for patients are severe—longer wait times, fewer available doctors, and declining quality of care. Many physicians are retiring early or moving into consulting or concierge medicine to escape the system’s red tape. Unless bureaucracy is reduced and fair compensation restored, America faces a moral and medical crisis where healing gives way to spreadsheets—and patients are left waiting for doctors who no longer answer the call.

Joondeph, B. C. (2025, November 3). The great physician exodus: How bureaucracy, burnout, and bean counters are driving doctors away. American Thinker.