Slovenia tops EU in doctor burnout

Excessive workload remains the primary concern for Slovenian doctors, according to the results of the latest Digital Doctor survey conducted by the company Mediately. The survey found that 79% of doctors in Slovenia highlighted concerns about being overburdened at work.

This figure represents the highest level of concern about overwork among the nine European countries surveyed, surpassing Italy (70%) and Serbia (69%). The other countries included in the survey were Romania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia, and Slovakia, CE Report quotes STA.

While the 79% rate for Slovenia indicates overwork is still the central issue, it is slightly lower than the 84% reported in the 2023 survey.

Across the surveyed countries, doctors also expressed dissatisfaction in other areas. Notably, 24% of respondents internationally felt their work was inadequately compensated, and 36% pointed to difficulties in relationships with colleagues, suggesting potential issues with organisational culture and working environments.

Regarding information access, the survey showed that while professional articles remain the most common resource internationally (60%), medical mobile apps are increasingly prominent, used by 57% of respondents and generally trusted.

Interest in AI intelligence is also growing significantly, with 40% internationally already using or planning to use AI, though about a quarter still harbour doubts about its reliability and safety for clinical decision-making, believing further improvements are needed.

The Mediately survey was conducted in late 2024 among 8,600 doctors across Italy, Serbia, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Germany, Croatia, and Slovakia. The Slovenian contingent included 370 doctors from various specialisations.