Healthcare clinics across the world are facing a crisis that goes far beyond patient care. Running a clinic today is not only about treating patients. Increasingly, doctors say that human resources in healthcare have become one of their biggest stress points.
Recent surveys and discussions on Sermo, the leading physician community, reveal just how widespread this problem has become. Our recent poll found the greatest practice management stressors are: administrative burden (as voted by 40% of doctors) and staff turnover (receiving 22% of the vote).
As one clinical oncologist explains on Sermo, “In my field, the most challenging aspect about hiring and HR processes is finding valuable candidates but – in some cases – the real problem is finding candidates AT ALL. During these and the next few years, a lot of physicians are going to retire, creating a void in the system.”
While some larger institutions have established comprehensive HR departments, many physicians, particularly in smaller or independent practices, continue to manage these complex tasks themselves. These physicians face increasing demands beyond patient care—hiring, managing, conflict resolution, firing, and more complex human resource responsibilities—without formal medical school training or practical support.
Today, we investigate how HR issues such as staffing shortages, high turnover, team morale, and conflict resolution impact clinic performance, physician well-being, and long-term practice decisions. We’ll explore how physicians are adapting, what resources or assistance they require, and why HR has become ground zero for many clinicians.
HR is now a clinical concern, not just an operational one
Traditionally, the human resource department in hospitals and clinics managed hiring, payroll, and training. However, in small and mid-sized practices, these duties are increasingly being assumed by physicians themselves.
The average doctor now spends 8.7 hours per week (16.6% of working hours) on HR tasks. This shift is turning HR into a clinical concern rather than just an operational one. “It’s hard to learn all of this HR stuff, med school clearly doesn’t teach you how to manage all that,” notes a general practice doctor on Sermo. This sentiment echoes throughout medical communities.
In a recent Sermo poll, 43% of physicians said that finding qualified candidates is their biggest hiring challenge. The shortage of qualified staff means doctors are spending valuable time on recruitment activities they’re simply not equipped to handle effectively.
However, the challenge goes beyond just finding people to hire. A GP on Sermo explains, “The biggest challenge when hiring staff for a medical practice is often finding and attracting qualified candidates, particularly in a competitive job market. This includes attracting candidates who not only possess the necessary clinical skills and experience but also align with the practice’s culture and values.”
This cultural fit aspect adds another layer of complexity. Leaders in healthcare must now evaluate not just technical skills but also how potential team members will integrate with existing staff and maintain the practice’s values.
The emotional and operational toll of poor HR support
The strain of managing HR without proper training or systems affects physician well-being and clinic performance.
According to a Sermo poll, 35% of doctors feel unsupported or overwhelmed by HR issues. When asked about their greatest practice management stressor, 40% of physicians cited administrative burden, while 22% specifically mentioned staff turnover as their primary concern.
One internal medicine physician described the daily reality:
“HR challenges are increasingly making clinical practice difficult to manage. Physicians today are expected to juggle not only patient care but also hiring, staff management, and team morale all while dealing with high turnover and burnout. Staffing shortages mean clinicians often take on administrative roles they weren’t trained for, which adds to their stress and detracts from quality care. Retaining skilled staff has become a major struggle, and the constant need to recruit and train new team members disrupts continuity and efficiency.”
A study in the Journal of American Medical Colleges revealed that administrative tasks negatively impact the ability to provide high-quality care for 66% of respondents. Out of the 1,700 surveyed physicians, primary care doctors and women, in particular, reported spending the most time on these duties.
Physicians who dedicated a greater percentage of their time to administrative responsibilities experienced lower career satisfaction and higher rates of burnout. They were also more inclined to consider reducing their patient load in the future. The most burdensome tasks identified were prior authorizations, clinical documentation, and medication reconciliation.
A hematology specialist on Sermo summed it up:
“Absolutely—HR issues are a major challenge. Balancing clinical work with hiring, managing staff, and resolving conflicts is exhausting, especially without dedicated support.”
Excessive paperwork and HR tasks also raise operational costs and increase the risk of errors in scheduling or billing. Clinics that reduce administrative demands on doctors often see improvements in patient satisfaction, staff retention, and overall clinic performance.
When HR issues push physicians to make major career changes
For many physicians, burnout creeps in quietly, showing up as persistent exhaustion, emotional numbness, and a fading sense of purpose. The growing responsibility of HR has increased the pressure on physicians across specialties.
The strain of managing human resources is forcing physicians to make dramatic changes to their practice models. 27% of surveyed doctors on Sermo are currently considering a change in their practice structure due to HR-related stress. In response to these HR challenges, there has been a significant shift in how medicine is practiced nationwide.
Some are shifting to concierge or membership-based practices to escape the constant staffing grind. The membership model eliminates many traditional HR headaches by reducing staff needs and administrative complexity.
One family medicine physician on Sermo who has made the shift shared, “Everything in this post further convinces me that I have made the best decision in changing to a membership practice model. Some patients and most doctors just cannot understand what is encompassed in this style of practice. After 25 years working in a traditional, incredibly busy practice, I think I’m entitled to now be the one dictating the terms of how I will practice for the remainder of my career. I’m a better doctor than I ever was previously. I’ve been doing this for several years. It’s clearly my smartest business and practice management move. I get to practice medicine at a proper level of payment, not be overworked, enjoy more free time than I’ve ever had, and listen all day to how patients love this model and reiterate that there is no way they are going back. Other doctors need to listen to this carefully. If you have a good practice with a good reputation, you are already qualified to change this into a membership practice and you will see exactly what I mean.”
HR stress also drives consolidation within the healthcare industry. An internal medicine and emergency physician added on Sermo, “This increasing HR burden drives small practices toward large corporate medicine.”
This trend represents a loss of physician autonomy and often results in less personalized patient care. When physicians feel overwhelmed by administrative tasks, including managing teams in healthcare, early retirement becomes an attractive option. This exodus of experienced physicians further compounds staffing challenges across the healthcare system.
For physicians seeking to reduce administrative burden while maintaining quality patient care, many are turning to team-based approaches and collaborative care models for relief.
For more information on reducing physician burnout, see our comprehensive guide.
What support do physicians want?
When asked about desired improvements, physicians have clear priorities. In a recent Sermo poll:
- 35% of physicians said they want improved staff training and retention programs
- 21% said they want access to dedicated HR consultants or support
The desire for improved staff training reflects a broader understanding that human resource management in healthcare requires specialized knowledge. As one ophthalmologist on Sermo notes, “The growing HR burden on physicians, especially in small or independent practices, threatens not only operational efficiency but also provider well-being and patient care. This situation underscores the urgent need for structural support, streamlined processes, and dedicated resources to manage human capital effectively.”
Physicians also want streamlined compliance processes. Current regulations require extensive documentation and procedures that consume significant time and resources. Many doctors feel that simplified compliance requirements would allow them to focus more on what they do best: treating patients.
Actionable human resource improvements in a hospital could include:
- Modernized onboarding processes aimed at longer-term retention
- Dedicated HR professionals to resolve conflicts before they escalate
- Dedicated HR staff to handle all team recruitment, hiring, training, and transitions
- Access to external consultants who understand HR in medicine
- Systems that support strong communication, team development, and managing
Peer support networks represent another area where physicians seek assistance. The complexity of managing human resources in a hospital often requires insights from colleagues who’ve faced similar challenges. For those without local peer support, the Sermo community provides peer-to-peer guidance and collaboration on all major healthcare topics.
The takeaway is this: without proper HR support, physicians will remain stuck between patient care and administrative survival mode.
Peer-to-peer guidance: What’s working for your colleagues
Despite these challenges, some physicians have found effective strategies for managing their HR responsibilities. These success stories provide practical guidance for colleagues struggling with similar issues.
Consider culture fit over skills alone
A general practice physician shared on Sermo that hiring based on values alignment reduces turnover. “I had the opportunity to be a staff recruiter in my previous job. However, it’s a topic that requires a lot of time, given that one must carefully select the candidate who will be part of the team that one wants to have for their clinic.”
This physician continues with a realistic assessment: “However, people don’t always end up being as they appear in interviews, and after a few days of work, there is a sudden change. Some are as we expected them to be, others change their behavior and decrease their performance.”
Don’t rush the hiring process
The importance of taking the time to recruit quality staff cannot be overstated. A family medicine and psychiatry physician on Sermo puts it simply: “Staff can really make or break a practice.”
This fact has led many physicians to invest more time in hiring decisions, even though it adds to their administrative burden. Understanding the core qualities of a good doctor can help physicians identify candidates who will thrive in healthcare environments and align with practice values.
Invest in tech solutions
Technology and AI solutions are beginning to help address some HR challenges. AI-powered tools can streamline administrative tasks, reducing the burden on physicians and their staff. These solutions show promise for helping doctors focus more on patient care and less on paperwork.
One physician on Sermo shared, “Use of AI will certainly help in enhancing patient care by releasing doctors & nurses from mundane tasks & helping give greater time for patient interactions.”
Prioritize employee retention
Retention strategies have become as important as recruitment, because retaining qualified, committed staff reduces the frequent turnover that disrupts clinic operations and increases physicians’ administrative burdens. High staff turnover forces physicians to spend more time on hiring and training, which detracts from patient care and contributes to burnout—a leading factor in physician attrition.
A gastroenterologist on Sermo identifies the core challenge: “When hiring staff for your practice, my biggest challenge is finding qualified candidates who will stay with us in good standing for the long term.”
Some physicians advocate for systemic changes in how healthcare is managed. A general practitioner on Sermo argues, “If a healthcare professional wants to dedicate himself to administrative tasks, he should focus solely on those tasks and not also perform care work, because it is incompatible.”
This perspective suggests that the current model of physician-as-administrator may be fundamentally flawed. When physicians are forced into HR roles without support, it compromises their clinical focus and job satisfaction, increasing turnover risk both for staff and physicians themselves. Healthcare systems benefit from dedicated administrators trained to handle practice management while physicians concentrate on patient care.
The overall goal should be to improve the healthcare standard and access for the general public by helping retain physicians where they are needed most. To achieve this, physicians need to be freed from the stressful duties that fall outside of their expertise and could be better handled by an HR professional.
Key takeaway
Human resources is no longer a background function in healthcare. It has become an added responsibility for doctors, impacting everything from clinic operations to patient satisfaction.
The survey data from Sermo’s physician community paints a clear picture that doctors are struggling with HR responsibilities they never trained for, and this struggle is affecting both their well-being and their patients’ care.
Without stronger systems, staffing support, and dedicated HR resources, many doctors find themselves navigating leadership and logistics they were never taught to handle.
The solution requires a multifaceted approach.
Healthcare systems need to provide better HR support, medical schools should consider adding basic practice management training to their curricula, and the industry must develop tools and resources specifically designed for the unique challenges of managing teams in healthcare.
As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, addressing the human resource burden on physicians will ensure sustainable, high-quality patient care for the future. The insights shared by physicians on Sermo provide a roadmap for understanding these challenges and developing effective solutions.
For physicians seeking peer support and practical insights about managing HR and admin challenges, joining communities like Sermo provides valuable advice from colleagues who understand the unique pressures of modern medical practice.
