MD or DO, based in the US and currently practicing as a hospitalist. Must have direct experience with post-pandemic workflows and evolving hospitalist roles. Willing to be quoted with full name, title, and affiliation, consent to light editing, and disclose conflicts of interest. 1. Based on your own experience and what you’ve seen in peers, how would you describe the current state of hospitalist burnout post-pandemic? Is it improving, holding steady, or worsening compared with peak pandemic years? 2. What are the most significant drivers of burnout for hospitalists right now — and have those factors shifted since 2020? 3. How have changes in your role or workload (for example, hybrid coverage, increased patient acuity, or administrative demands) affected burnout risk in your group? 4. What strategies or interventions — whether at the personal, team, or system level — have you seen make a measurable difference in reducing burnout? 5. If you could change one structural element of the hospitalist role to improve long-term sustainability and emotional well-being, what would it be?

From what I've experienced and noticed among my colleagues, the burnout among hospitalists remains a critical issue post-pandemic, perhaps more pronounced than during the peak years of COVID-19. Initially, there was a sense of emergency and camaraderie that somewhat buffered the stress, despite the overwhelming patient loads and uncertainties. However, as the pandemic has transitioned into a different phase, the sustained high pressures and the shift back to "normal" operations have exposed deeper systemic issues that continue to fuel burnout. The major drivers of burnout right now include incessant administrative duties, increased patient acuity, and a noticeable shortage of healthcare staff which stretches the existing workforce thin. There's also a lingering emotional toll from the pandemic that many of us are still grappling with. Previously, the adrenaline of facing a global emergency kept some of these issues at bay, but now that the dust is settling, these challenges are becoming more obvious and more exhausting. Adjustments in roles, like hybrid or telehealth coverage, have been double-edged swords. On one hand, they offer flexibility and reduce physical burnout; on the other, they blur the lines between work and home life, potentially leading to more hours logged and less downtime. In my group, the increased complexity of cases we now handle regularly has compounded the stress. This heightened acuity demands more from us mentally, on top of the usual physical demands. On a brighter note, targeted interventions like scheduled debriefing sessions, enhanced mental health support, and structured schedules that allow for real downtime have made a measurable difference. It's crucial that such supports are not just temporary fixes but part of an ongoing strategy to manage workforce health. If I could change one structural element, it would be to increase support staff ratios significantly. Having more hands on deck for administrative and basic patient care tasks would allow hospitalists to focus more on direct patient care and critical decision-making, reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction. Just remember, sometimes these structural changes might seem costly upfront but can lead to more sustainable healthcare practice in the long run.