Fixing Work, Not Workers: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Combat Burnout in Canadian Healthcare
Taylor Martin1,2, Robert Maunder3,4, Gillian Strudwick1,5
1Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Healthcare Management Forum
|February 9, 2026
Summary
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help address healthcare worker burnout in Canada by improving burnout measurement, workforce planning, and workplace safety. This technology offers a structural solution by optimizing work processes, not just individual coping mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Health Informatics
- Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare
Background:
- Healthcare worker burnout is a significant issue in Canada, impacting workforce stability and patient care.
- Current strategies often focus on individual coping, neglecting organizational factors contributing to burnout.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in addressing the organizational drivers of healthcare worker burnout.
- To identify specific domains within healthcare where AI can offer solutions to mitigate burnout.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of AI applications in healthcare.
- Identification of three key areas for AI intervention: burnout measurement, workforce planning, and risk mitigation.
- Discussion of AI's role in process redesign and automation.
Main Results:
- AI can enhance the measurement and understanding of burnout among healthcare professionals.
- AI tools can improve workforce planning and operational decision-making for better resource allocation.
- AI-driven automation and process redesign can mitigate workplace risks and reduce burnout.
Conclusions:
- AI presents a novel approach to tackling healthcare worker burnout by addressing systemic issues.
- Shifting focus from individual coping to optimizing work processes through AI can foster sustainable healthcare environments.
- AI offers a pathway to support healthier and more resilient healthcare systems in Canada.
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