Have a high stress job? Feel like you're burning out a bit? It happens to a lot of Houstonians – notably to physicians, who too often spend more time with paperwork and less with their patients.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we discuss what's behind physician burnout, and how it impacts the doctor-patient relationship.
Also: A recent report places Houston in the top third among cities nationwide when it comes to affordability for first-time home-buyers. The financial pressure becomes greater when that home buyer is saddled with student debt. Another recent report finds college graduates in Harris County with student loans to repay have to earn, on average, $7,000 more annually in order to afford to purchase a home. Of course, it’s common for new graduates to rent for a while before taking the plunge into the housing market, but should we be concerned that average student loan debt of around $24,000 is keeping some younger Houstonians from even attempting to buy a home? We’ll discuss it.
Plus: Can a for-profit business have a non-profit mindset? We learn about benefit corporations – known as “B-Corps.” They’re for-profit businesses which are designed to not only turn a profit, but also to achieve some sort of positive impact for society at large. They’re generally more transparent than other companies, and are in some way held accountable to the mission they establish. There’s a certification process, through a non-profit called B Lab, which establishes standards for the company in question to meet. We learn about a company in Houston that’s received that certification. And we talk with the founder of a marketing and publicity firm that only accepts clients connected to a cause.
And: We discuss the week in sports with CultureMap Houston sports columnist MK Bower.
