Eight out of 10 physicians have experienced burnout, and about half of them were happy with their job, a survey showed.

Intermd, an online site for knowledge sharing among physicians, said it polled 1,004 physicians on the job satisfaction from Dec. 26-27. About 51 percent of the respondents said they were content with their current job.

Roughly 80 percent of the doctors said they have experienced burnout, which refers to physical and mental exhaustion after excessive work.

Reasons for burnout, in multiple responses, were worsening medical environment (46.9 percent), too many patients (41.1 percent), excessive administrative work (37.7 percent), night duties and work on holidays (36.4 percent), long working hours and lack of sleep (31.7 percent), excessive demands from patients (30.6 percent), after-hours work (25.6 percent), and lack of medical staffs (25 percent).

About 52 percent said their working hours were appropriate, 40.9 percent said long, and 6.8 percent, short.

As for the workload, 47.6 percent said it was moderate, 39.3 percent said they had more than moderate and 13.1 percent, less than moderate.

When asked about changes in job satisfaction after five years, 55.6 percent said it will be lower than now. About 31.2 percent said their job satisfaction would be similar after five years, and 13.2 percent, higher than now.

As for whether the government should allow telemedicine, 57.7 percent said they would support the idea only in exceptional cases such as medical care for military bases and remote villages. Thirty-seven percent said they opposed to the idea in any circumstances, and 5.6 percent, in favor of the plan under any circumstances.

More than half, or 53.4 percent, of the respondents said the government should not relax regulations on the digital healthcare sector any more than the current level, and 46.6 percent said the government should ease them.