Physician burnout is easing but remains a critical issue for healthcare leaders. The American Medical Association reported that 43.2% of physicians experienced at least one symptom of burnout in 2024, down from 48.2% in 2023 — the first time in four years the rate has dropped below 50%. But MGMA Stat’s own polling shows turnover continues to be a persistent challenge, with seven in 10 medical practices reporting in 2025 that staff turnover is either the same or higher than last year, especially among medical assistants and front-office staff. 

Even with some gains, administrative demands, long hours, and electronic health record burdens continue to strain providers and staff. The result: higher costs, operational disruption, and additional strain on patient care. 

On a recent episode of the MGMA Women in Healthcare podcast, Adrienne Lloyd, MHA, FACHE, MGMA consultant and executive coach, sat down with Haley Boling, CEO of Bowling Vision Center and Insight Surgery Center, founder of Kindness to Prevent Blindness, and past president of the American Society of Ophthalmic Administrators (ASOA), to talk about practical actions leaders can take to strengthen their teams and build resilient organizations. 

Blending empathy with accountability 

Boling noted that many leaders, especially women, believe they must choose between being the “nice boss” or the “tough boss,” but she described that as a false narrative. “Accountability and empathy are not opposites,” she explained. “They truly are partners when you are implementing them with intentionality and focus.”  

In her view, leadership is not about toggling between extremes but about providing clarity — and that the most powerful thing a leader can do for their team is to reduce ambiguity. When expectations are clear, she explained, employees understand what success looks like, which lowers stress, builds confidence, and gives them the tools they need to thrive.  She added that offering context is just as important as setting standards, emphasizing that “providing the why behind the what is one of the most important things that we can do.” 

For Boling, transparency is critical. She frequently shares financial results and performance benchmarks with her team because, as she put it, “transparency builds trust.” 

“Anytime that I can be a transparent leader,” she added, “It’s going to ultimately set them up for long-term success.” In this model, accountability is not something that inspires fear but something that helps staff feel confident and supported. 

Implementation ideas: 

• Create “success profiles” for roles such as front desk, technicians, and providers so staff know what strong performance looks like. 
• Share metrics early and often—not just during annual reviews—so accountability becomes routine and constructive. 
• Always explain the rationale behind a policy, benchmark, or operational change to strengthen trust and encourage critical thinking among staff. 

Treating culture as operational infrastructure 

Boling also challenged the idea that culture is a “soft” concept. She argued that many leaders dismiss it as something “warm and fluffy,” when in fact, culture is the foundation of every successful business. Without clarity on performance standards and behavioral expectations, even the most talented staff can feel adrift. If employees know what is expected of them, she said, “they can step up and shine.” 

Beyond clarity, Boling believes that fun has a place in high-performing cultures. “I always say we’re a work hard, play hard culture,” she explained. Because they spend more time with one another than at home, she said it is essential that they enjoy those connections and genuinely like being together. 

That philosophy comes to life each year during an all-staff in-service, when every location closes so the entire team can come together. The event combines education and strategy with camaraderie, linking back to the organization’s mission, vision, and values. Staff choose the theme by live vote, and competition can get fierce. Past themes have included The Greatest Showman, Disney, rodeo, and casino nights complete with magicians and dealers. Boling saw it as an opportunity to motivate her team and help staff understand their role in the organization's larger mission. 

At Bowling Vision Center, this culture of recognition and celebration is also reinforced by their peer-nominated, “Lumiere Award” — named after the candlestick in Beauty and the Beast — which honors employees who exemplify excellent service.  

“We’re taking off our ‘gotcha goggles,’ putting on our ‘grateful glasses,’ trying to … catch each other doing something right,” she said. And what started as a simple award has evolved into a coveted honor. 

Implementation ideas: 

• Define non-negotiables for professional behavior and teamwork, not just productivity and attendance. 
• Celebrate staff achievements in consistent, meaningful ways that reinforce organizational values. 
• Establish reliable communication structures — daily huddles, weekly updates, and regular sharing of KPIs — so staff always understand priorities. 

Lifting as you climb 

Boling also spoke about the importance of mentorship and representation, particularly for women leaders in healthcare. She recalled being underestimated as a young woman when she stepped into the CEO role at just 23 years old.  

Many questioned whether she had the experience or gravitas to lead, and some even hoped she would fail. “I actually had some people who were straight nasty to me,” she said.  

“One person actually sent me a plant to the office — it was a dead plant with grim reapers in it. Not joking!” she chuckled. “So, that was quite the welcome.”  

The gesture was intended to intimidate her, but instead it reinforced her determination to prove herself by learning every role in her organization and surrounding herself with trusted advisors. 

She said women in leadership often face additional scrutiny and must work against a scarcity mindset that suggests there is only room for a few at the top. To build credibility, she spent several months working in every department of her practice — which included even cleaning toilets — learning each job firsthand, while also surrounding herself with experienced advisors who could provide guidance. 

“As women, we have to do a better job of supporting and empowering and cheering each other on,” she explained. “Empowered women empower women.”  

She added that representation in leadership matters not only for individuals but also for the communities that practices serve.  

“If everybody in the room looks exactly the same or thinks exactly the same … we are not doing our communities justice,” she said. “We are not appropriately and accurately representing the beautiful diversity that make up our communities.” 

Implementation ideas: 

• Identify trusted mentors or peer coaches who can provide both encouragement and honest feedback. 
• Build systems to sponsor and promote women and underrepresented staff, not just mentor them. 
• Audit leadership teams and boards to ensure they reflect the diversity of the communities being served. 

The takeaway for practice leaders 

Boling believes that leaders who balance accountability with empathy, treat culture as the foundation of operations, and invest in lifting others up will see both staff and organizations thrive.  

“Empathy without accountability creates chaos, and accountability without empathy creates fear,” she explained. “When you blend those two things together, you’re actually being an empathetic leader by creating opportunities for accountability.”  

Her message underscores the reality that physician burnout and staff turnover are not just workforce issues, they are leadership issues. Clear expectations reduce stress, strong cultures encourage engagement, and mentorship ensures the next generation of leaders is better prepared. For practice leaders navigating the pressures of 2025 and beyond, Boling’s advice offers a roadmap: Be transparent, celebrate often, and make space for others to succeed. By doing so, leaders can move beyond crisis management and instead build teams that are resilient, motivated, and equipped to handle the challenges ahead. 

Resources:

• MGMA Leaders Conference 2025: Learn more and register.
• MGMA Membership: Access tools, communities and educational opportunities - Learn more and register.
• Connect with Adrienne Lloyd on LinkedIn or at Optimize Healthcare.
• Connect with Haley Boling on LinkedIn or at Bowling Vision Center and Insight Surgery Center. 
• Would you like to appear on the MGMA Women in Healthcare podcast? Book time with Adrienne.