Primary care physician stress driven by social and financial needs of complex patients

Caring for complex patients may be an underreported source of stress for primary care physicians (PCPs). Prior research on reducing physician burnout has largely focused on communication, work-life balance, and self-management techniques. Perceived patient complexity has been linked to decreased PCP work satisfaction, but little is known about how specific components of patient complexity such as socioeconomic or personal circumstances, burden of medical conditions, or behavioral health impact PCP stress. We examined the association between PCP self-reported stress and the factors that define their most complex patients.