Reduce Burnout, Improve Safety and Efficiency: Consider Prosocial Behavior

Overview

Publish Date: February 2026

Demand for health care services continues to grow while staffing shortages are stressing an already vulnerable system. Burnout rates are high and increasing, putting more pressure on those who remain, leading to more burnout. These challenges can limit the ability to provide services and make it difficult to achieve and sustain efficiency and patient safety targets. New approaches are needed to foster a stable engaged workforce and mitigate ongoing quality and safety problems. There is evidence from sectors other than health care that “prosocial” behaviors among people who work together lead to effective teamwork and greater satisfaction for everyone.

Feldman J, Houmanfar R, Fearon M, et al. Reduce burnout, improve safety and efficiency: consider prosocial behavior. APSF Newsletter. 2026;1:24–27.

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