Mindfulness Program Eases Physician Burnout

Objective Our goal is to improve the wellness of our Family Medicine residents now and in the future by educating them on more efficient use of our electronic health record (EHR). Resident physician burnout is a significant problem and is correlated with time spent using an EHR after work hours. Family physicians have the highest rate of burnout of all specialties, and the EHR is a significant contributor to this burnout. Studies have shown that increased EHR education can improve job satisfaction. Method Over 5 months, we provided weekly brief (15 minute) educational sessions covering 6 topics twice and a one-hour individualized meeting of each resident physician with an EHR trainer. We evaluated our intervention with wellness surveys and objective measures of EHR efficiency both pre and post intervention. We further evaluated efficiency by comparing pre and post-intervention values of the following: average keystrokes, mouseclicks, accelerator use, minutes per encounter and percent closed encounters at month’s end. Results Resident questionnaires showed lessons increased knowledge and intention to use EHR accelerators, but this was not statistically significant. Analysis of objective data showed most efficiency metrics worsened, though most not to a degree that was statistically significant. Residents reported subjective increases in efficiency, and paired data from wellness surveys showed an overall decrease in burnout post-intervention vs. baseline. Conclusions Much of the data in this pilot study does not reach statistical significance, but is highly suggestive that increased EHR training can improve at least perceived efficiency and thereby resident wellness.

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A Powerful Antidote to Physician Burnout: Intensive Healthy Lifestyle and Positive Psychology Approaches

American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine ◽

10.1177/15598276211006626 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 155982762110066

Author(s):

Liana Lianov

Keyword(s):

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Meaningful Work ◽

Well Being ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Lifestyle Interventions ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Physician Burnout ◽

Lifestyle Medicine ◽

Persistent Symptoms

Burnout rates among physicians are rapidly rising. Leaders in the movement to address burnout have made the case that health care workplaces need to foster a culture of well-being, including trusting coworker interactions, collaborative and transparent leadership, work-life balance, flexibility, opportunities for meaningful work and for professional development, and effective 2-way communication. The rationale for focusing on organizational change to prevent burnout has pointed to persistent symptoms of burnout even when individual healthy lifestyle interventions are adopted. However, a case can be made that the lifestyle interventions were not implemented at the level of intensity recommended by the lifestyle medicine evidence-base to secure the desired improvement in physical and mental health when facing significant personal and environmental stressors. The lifestyle medicine community has the ethical mandate to advocate for intensive healthy lifestyle approaches to burnout prevention, in conjunction with organizational supports. By combining comprehensive and intensive lifestyle changes with organizational cultures of well-being, we can more effectively turn the tide of physician burnout.

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Which Strategies Improve Physicians' Experience with Health Information Technology?

ACI Open ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1731338 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 05 (01) ◽

pp. e47-e53

Author(s):

Jacqueline Haskell ◽

Brittany Mandeville ◽

Emily Cooper ◽

Rebekah Gardner

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Health Information Technology ◽

Health Information ◽

Rhode Island ◽

Response Rate ◽

Physician Burnout ◽

Health Records ◽

Effective Strategies ◽

Department Of Health ◽

Part Time

Abstract Objectives While electronic health records (EHRs) have improved billing efficiency and note legibility, they may also disrupt clinical workflows, affect patient interactions, and contribute to physician burnout. This study aimed to identify effective strategies, as reported by physicians, to mitigate these EHR shortcomings. Methods The Rhode Island Department of Health administers a health information technology (HIT) survey biennially to all physicians in active practice statewide. The 2019 survey asked physicians about strategies implemented personally or by their practice to improve their experience working with HIT. Physicians who identified at least one strategy were then asked if each implemented strategy was “actually useful.” Results The 2019 survey was administered to 4,266 physicians, with a response rate of 43%. Both office- and hospital-based physicians most commonly reported that their practices had implemented voice-recognition dictation software (48 and 68%, respectively). Office- and hospital-based physicians identified self-care as the most commonly implemented personal change (48 and 47%, respectively). However, 26% of office-based and 15% of hospital-based physicians reported reducing clinical hours or working part-time to improve their experience working with HIT. The strategies identified as “actually useful” varied by practice setting and were not always the most widely implemented approaches. Conclusion Most physicians reported that both they personally and their practices had implemented strategies to improve their experience with HIT. Physicians found some of these strategies more helpful than others, and the strategies identified as most useful differed between office- and hospital-based physicians. From a workforce and access perspective, prioritizing strategies that physicians find “actually useful” is critical, as many physicians in both settings reported reducing clinical hours to improve their experience.

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They did not start the fire: reviewing and resolving the issue of physician stress and burnout

Journal of Health Organization and Management ◽

10.1108/jhom-11-2016-0212 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 410-417 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Julie Christine Babyar

Keyword(s):

Design Methodology ◽

Intervention Studies ◽

Future Research ◽

Organizational Strategies ◽

Physician Burnout ◽

Content Type ◽

Current State ◽

The Usa ◽

Research Accountability ◽

Physician Stress

Purpose Physician stress and burnout is a serious and common concern in healthcare, with over half of physicians in the USA meeting at least one criterion for burnout. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A review on current state of physician stress and burnout research, from 2008 to 2016, was undertaken. A subsequent perspective paper was shaped around these reviews. Findings Findings reveal research strength in prevalence and incidence with opportunities for stronger intervention studies. While descriptive studies on causes and consequences of physician burnout are available, studies on interventions and prevention of physician burnout are lacking. Future research on physician stress and burnout should incorporate intervention studies and take care to avoid limitations found in current research. Accountability and prevention of physician burnout is the responsibility of the healthcare industry as a whole, and organizational strategies must be emphasized in future research. Originality/value The value of this research comes in the original comprehensive review, international inclusion and succinct summary of physician burnout research and strategies.

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Physician Burnout and the Electronic Health Record Leading up to and During The First Year of COVID-19: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.36200 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Clemens Scott Kruse ◽

Michael Mileski ◽

Gevin Dray ◽

Zakia Johnson ◽

Cameron Shaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Empirical Evidence ◽

Human Subjects ◽

First Year ◽

Physician Burnout ◽

Life Balance ◽

Loss Of Autonomy ◽

Lack Of Control ◽

Two Factors ◽

The Hours ◽

Design Experiments

BACKGROUND Physician burnout was first identified in 1974, and it has been particularly prevalent during the first year of the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To objectively analyze the literature over the last five years for empirical evidence of burnout incident to the EHR and to identify barriers, facilitators, associated patient satisfaction to using the EHR to improve symptoms of burnout. METHODS No human subjects were used in this review, however 100% of participants in studies analyzed were adult physicians. Four research databases and one targeted journal were queried for studies commensurate with the objective statement from January 1, 2016 through January 31st 2021 (n=25). RESULTS The hours spent in documentation and workflow are responsible for the sense of loss of autonomy, lack of work-life balance, lack of control of one’s schedule, cognitive fatigue, a general loss of autonomy and poor relationships with colleagues. Researchers have identified training, local customization of templates and workflow, and the use of scribes to alleviate the administrative burden of the EHR and decreased symptoms of burnout. CONCLUSIONS The solutions provided in the literature only addressed two of the three factors, workflow and documentation time, but not the third, usability. Practitioners and administrators should focus on the former two factors because they are within their sphere of control. EHR vendors should focus on empirical evidence to identify usability features with the greatest impact to improve. Researchers should design experiments to explore solutions that address all three factors of the EHR that contribute to burnout. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/15490

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