Shoe Covers but Not Burnout? Making Burnout Reduction a Criteria for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Funding Would Protect Patients

In the United States, hospitals must meet eligibility criteria to receive federal funding. Regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission, are approved by the government to give, or withhold, accreditation to hospitals. This accreditation is a requisite to continue receiving funding. Hospitals are frequently cited for items such as inadequate wearing of boot covers or covering of facial hair in the operating rooms. There are very little, if any, data to support an improvement in patient safety when these items are complied with. There is, however, a large amount of data showing the negative consequences for patient safety when providers are burned out. We therefore propose that regulatory agencies such as the Joint Commission require that hospital systems measure burnout and reduce concerning levels of burnout in their employees to continue receiving certification. We briefly review evidence-based methods that hospital systems might consider to accomplish this goal.