Physicians are under increasing pressure to see more patients, take on more management responsibilities, and still provide the best care. That is leading to a variety of problems--everything from general malaise and burnout to early retirement and unionization. Stressed-out physicians can have a disastrous effect on the bottom line of practices. Productivity drops, staff become demoralized, turnover increases, and patients become less satisfied with the care they receive--both from the physician and support staff. There are clear warning signs of physicians under too much pressure. There are also some simple steps a practice can take to minimize the occurrence of burnout and deal with it effectively when it occurs.