Work pressure in outpatient psychiatry: some observations
Recent figures show that a significant portion of outpatient psychiatrists consider reducing their professional activity. In a survey, 42.8% report recognizing burnout symptoms, and 33.6% are considering working less in outpatient care.
In the article, two psychiatrists explain these figures based on their practical experience.
Vincent Ryckmans, psychiatrist-psychotherapist in Braine-l’Alleud, points to the structural undervaluation of outpatient psychiatry and the tension between quality of care and financial viability. Long consultations remain clinically necessary but are difficult to sustain within the current reimbursement structure.
Philippe de Timary, head of adult psychiatry at Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, also emphasizes that psychiatric care is by definition emotionally demanding and cannot be scaled up indefinitely without compromising quality. The profession remains intellectually stimulating but requires time, tranquility, and sufficient support.
The observations are sobering: it is not a lack of motivation among psychiatrists, but structural preconditions that determine whether quality outpatient care can be sustainably organized.
Read more here.