Leave a Message
brand logo

FEATURE

12 Pearls to Help You Care for Patients, Stay Out of Trouble, and Avoid Burnout

From "the four most important words in medicine" to "the one question you should never ask your patients," these lessons can help you avoid pitfalls and experience more joy in practice.

I recently retired after 32 years of practicing family medicine, including caring for patients in the office, hospital, nursing home, urgent care, and obstetric settings and teaching physicians, residents, and students. Over the years, I have collected a number of “pearls” — small but valuable lessons learned through experience and struggle. Previously in FPM, I shared coding and documentation pearls.12 In this article, I'll share practical pearls that can help you care for patients, stay out of trouble, and avoid burnout.

KEY POINTS

  • Small shifts in how you communicate with patients can affect their satisfaction. For example, if you happen to be running behind, “Thank you for waiting” sets a more positive tone than “Sorry I'm late.”

  • To avoid running behind, aim to work at 90% to 95% of your maximum capacity. This leaves room in your schedule for last-minute patients, committee work, EHR work, or learning new skills.

  • Other keys to an efficient and rewarding practice include hiring a good nurse (or MA), always having a follow-up plan, identifying your preferred workflows, and understanding your work RVUs.

Already a member or subscriber?  Log In

Subscribe

From $105
  • Immediate, unlimited access to all FPM content
  • More than 36 CME credits/year
  • AAFP app access
  • Print delivery available
Subscribe

Issue Access

$39.95
  • Immediate, unlimited access to this issue's content
  • CME credits
  • AAFP app access
  • Print delivery available

Article Only

$25.95
  • Immediate, unlimited access to just this article
  • CME credits
  • AAFP app access
  • Print delivery available
Interested in AAFP membership?  Learn More

Continue Reading

More in FPM

More in PubMed

Copyright © 2025 by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

This content is owned by the AAFP. A person viewing it online may make one printout of the material and may use that printout only for his or her personal, non-commercial reference. This material may not otherwise be downloaded, copied, printed, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any medium, whether now known or later invented, except as authorized in writing by the AAFP.  See permissions for copyright questions and/or permission requests.