Three new studies reveal a clear link between rising volumes of patient communications — especially through digital portals — and physician burnout, a key factor contributing to the nationwide shortage of primary care doctors.

Primary care doctors have always been the foundation of the U.S. healthcare system. But today, they’re expected to provide care not only in the exam room, but also online where they manage patient questions, test results and treatment follow-ups through electronic health record (EHR) systems. These digital demands are now a major cause of burnout, with physicians reporting exhaustion, stress and reduced job satisfaction, according to the trio of studies by the University of Michigan published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in May 2026. The researchers were all trying to understand and address primary care providers’ concerns at Michigan Medicine, U-M’s academic medical center.

Addressing primary care physician burnout and departures is important because, when providers leave or reduce their hours, it becomes even harder for patients to get timely care — worsening the very cycle that leads to burnout.

Study #1: Gender Imbalances and Burnout from Digital Messages

The first study, led by Dr. Greta Branford, examined one year’s worth of patient portal messages at Michigan Medicine and revealed troubling gender-based disparities:

• Women physicians spent more time than their male colleagues managing digital messages.

• The female physicians were 60% more likely to say the messages required clinical assessment and 76% more likely to say the messages caused burnout.

• They also reported receiving more negative or demeaning messages from patients.

Study #2: Setting Aside Time to Tackle Digital Work

To fight the burnout, Michigan Medicine launched “PACE slots,” 20-minute time blocks per half-day of clinic time dedicated to digital care. Dr. Jennifer Reilly Lukela’s study found:

• While physicians’ after-hours workload didn’t significantly decrease, most felt less overwhelmed and better able to handle urgent patient needs.

• 88% of surveyed providers perceived that these slots helped reduce their off-the-clock work.

• Importantly, PACE slots did not reduce patient visits or revenue, easing financial concerns that health systems often have about such interventions.

Study #3: Team-Based Message Management

Led by Dr. Nicole Hadeed, the third study tested a team-based approach to managing digital messages. By clearly defining which types of clinic staff should handle which messages — and streamlining internal communication — the intervention achieved:

• A 16% reduction in messages per physician.

• A 62% drop in duplicate messages routed to multiple clinicians.

• A 26% decline in direct-to-physician message volume.

Retraining for Primary Care: A Timely Solution

With a reimagined model of care that includes protected time for digital work and team-based support, the primary care field is evolving. For physicians considering a new direction, retraining into primary care not only fills a national need, it also offers the opportunity to be part of a more balanced and sustainable practice model.

Now more than ever, investing in the future of primary care means investing in the professionals who are willing to step into that role.