Professional Fulfillment Index Research Articles

Academic Physician and Trainee Occupational Well-Being by Sexual and Gender Minority Status.

Few studies have explored the association between sexual and gender minority (SGM) status and occupational well-being among health care workers. To assess the prevalence of burnout, professional fulfillment, intent to leave, anxiety, and depression by self-reported SGM status. This cross-sectional survey study collected data from October 2019 to July 2021, from 8 academic medical institutions participating in the Healthcare Professional Well-Being Academic Consortium. The survey, including questions on SGM status, was administered to attending physicians and trainees. Statistical analyses were performed from June 1, 2023, to February 29, 2024. SGM status was determined via self-reported sexual orientation and gender identity. Primary outcomes measured were the Professional Fulfillment Index (burnout and professional fulfillment), intent to leave, and self-reported anxiety and depression using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System short-form 4-item measure. Of 20 541 attendings and 6900 trainees, 8376 attendings and 2564 trainees responded and provided SGM status. Of these respondents, 386 attendings (4.6%) and 212 trainees (8.3%) identified as SGM. Compared with their non-SGM peers, SGM attendings had a lower prevalence of professional fulfillment (133 of 386 [34.5%] vs 3200 of 7922 [40.4%]) and a higher prevalence of burnout (181 of 382 [47.4%] vs 2791 of 7883 [35.4%]) and intent to leave (125 of 376 [33.2%] vs 2433 of 7873 [30.9%]) (all P < .001). Compared with their non-SGM peers, SGM trainees had a lower prevalence of professional fulfillment (63 of 211 [29.9%] vs 833 of 2333 [35.7%]) and a higher prevalence of burnout (108 of 211 [51.2%] vs 954 of 2332 [40.9%]) (both P < .001). After adjusting for age and race and ethnicity, SGM attendings had higher odds of burnout than their non-SGM peers (adjusted odds ratio, 1.57 [95% CI, 1.27-1.94]; P < .001). Results for burnout were similar among the SGM trainees compared with their non-SGM peers (adjusted odds ratio, 1.47 [1.10-1.96]; P = .01). In this cross-sectional survey study of academic physicians and trainees, SGM attendings and trainees had higher levels of burnout and lower levels of professional fulfillment. SGM attendings had greater intent to leave than their non-SGM peers, but trainees did not. These disparities represent an opportunity for further exploration to retain SGM health care workers.

The Effect of Ambient Artificial Intelligence Notes on Provider Burnout.

Healthcare provider burnout is a critical issue with significant implications for individual well-being, patient care, and healthcare system efficiency. Addressing burnout is essential for improving both provider well-being and the quality of patient care. Ambient artificial intelligence (AI) offers a novel approach to mitigating burnout by reducing the documentation burden through advanced speech recognition and natural language processing technologies that summarize the patient encounter into a clinical note to be reviewed by clinicians. To assess provider burnout and professional fulfilment associated with Ambient AI technology during a pilot study, assessed using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI). A pre-post observational study was conducted at University of Iowa Health Care with 38 volunteer physicians and advanced practice providers. Participants used a commercial ambient AI tool, over a 5-week trial in ambulatory environments. The AI tool transcribed patient-clinician conversations and generated preliminary clinical notes for review and entry into the electronic medical record. Burnout and professional fulfillment were assessed using the Stanford PFI at baseline and post-intervention. Pre-test and post-test surveys were completed by 35/38 participants (92% survey completion rate). Results showed a significant reduction in burnout scores, with the median burnout score improving from 4.16 to 3.16 (p=0.005), with validated Stanford PFI cutoff for overall burnout 3.33. Burnout rates decreased from 69% to 43%. There was a notable improvement in interpersonal disengagement scores (3.6 vs. 2.5, p<0.001), although work exhaustion scores did not significantly change. Professional fulfillment showed a modest, non-significant upward trend (6.1 vs. 6.5, p=0.10). Ambient AI significantly reduces healthcare provider burnout and may enhance professional fulfillment. By alleviating documentation burdens, ambient AI can improve operational efficiency and provider well-being. These findings suggest that broader implementation of ambient AI could be a strategic intervention to combat burnout in healthcare settings.

Best Practices: Burnout Is More Than Binary.

Burnout among radiologists is increasingly prevalent, with the potential for having a substantial negative impact on physician well-being, delivery of care, and health outcomes. To evaluate this phenomenon using reliable and accurate means, validated quantitative instruments are essential. Variation in measurement can contribute to wide-ranging findings. This article evaluates radiologist burnout rates globally and dimensions of burnout as reported using different validated instruments; it also provides guidance on best practices to characterize burnout. Fifty-seven studies published between 1990 and 2023 were included in a systematic review, and 43 studies were included in a meta-analysis of burnout prevalence using random-effects models. The reported burnout prevalence ranged from 5% to 85%. With the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), burnout prevalence varied significantly depending on the instrument version used. Among MBI subcategories, the pooled prevalence of emotional exhaustion was 54% (95% CI, 45-63%), depersonalization was 52% (95% CI, 41-63%), and low personal accomplishment was 36% (95% CI, 27-47%). Other validated burnout instruments showed less heterogeneous results; studies using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index yielded a burnout prevalence of 39% (95% CI, 34-45%), whereas the validated single-item instrument yielded a burnout prevalence of 34% (95% CI, 29-39%). Standardized instruments for assessing prevalence alongside multidimensional profiles capturing experiences may better characterize radiologist burnout, including change occurring over time.

Formal wellness training of academic radiology leaders improves work-life conflict.

To investigate the effect of formal leadership training of academic radiology leaders within an academic center on their own burnout and professional fulfillment. The study cohort was academic radiology leaders within one of the largest academic organizations of academic radiologists within the United States. All academic radiology leaders within the organization were electronically mailed a weblink to a confidential IRB-approved survey in April 2021. The survey included validated questions from the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI), values alignment, teamwork, overload, and work-family conflict. Academic leaders were invited in May 2021 to participate in instructor-led formal training on leading wellness focusing on 5 core leadership skills - emotional intelligence, self-care, resilience support, demonstrating care, and managing burnout. An identical follow-up survey was electronically mailed 6 months after initial training in November 2021. The overall response rate of academic radiology leaders was 59% (19/32). For both measures, there was acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.63 for work exhaustion and α = 0.90 for fulfillment). There was a statistically significant improvement in work-family conflict (3.32 vs 2.86; p = 0.04). No statistically significant differences were identified for fulfillment, work exhaustion, alignment, work overload, and teamwork scores after training. Formal instruction in leading wellness improved work-life conflict for academic radiology leaders. There was no significant change in burnout, fulfillment nor organizational alignment of the leaders. Formal instruction in leading wellness raised awareness and improved work-life conflict in academic radiology leaders.

Validation of the Turkish Version of the Professional Fulfillment Index

Introduction: Clinician burnout represents a significant occupational hazard among physicians, with a notably high prevalence among emergency physicians. The Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) was developed to comprehensively assess various aspects of doctors’ work experiences, including professional fulfillment. In this study we aimed to validate the Turkish version of the PFI (T-PFI), a 16-item instrument designed to measure physicians’ professional fulfillment and burnout. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we validated the T-PFI in two phases. The initial phase involved translating and culturally adapting the original PFI into Turkish. We evaluated the content validity of the translated version using item and scale content validity indices (I-CVI and S-CVI, respectively). The validated T-PFI was then distributed among a broad cohort of emergency physicians via an online survey to further assess its reliability and validity. The assessment tools included Cronbach α, confirmatory factor analysis, and content validity indices. Results: Of 1,434 physicians who were sent the survey, 425 fully completed it (29.6%). There was an almost equal distribution of 215 females and 210 males. Only 9.6% of the participants reported high levels of professional fulfillment, whereas a significant majority (79.1%) were susceptible to burnout. The Cronbach α values for the professional fulfillment and overall burnout scales were 0.87 and 0.90, respectively. The content validity was confirmed by I-CVI values exceeding 0.80 and an S-CVI/average relevance of 0.92. The confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated an acceptable model fit after adjustments. Conclusion: The T-PFI is a reliable and valid tool for assessing professional fulfillment and burnout among emergency physicians in Turkey. Effective interventions to mitigate burnout are essential to improve physician well-being in Turkish healthcare settings.

Burnout Professional Fulfilment and Sleep Quality in Indian Healthcare Workers in Times of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Aim and Background: With more than 210 nations affected, the SARS-COV-2 became the most widespread worldwide pandemic. As of 14 April 2022, over 500 million cases were confirmed globally Given these numbers, it was hardly surprising that the Covid-19 epidemic significantly strained healthcare systems worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the degree of Burnout, Professional fulfilment, and Sleep quality across various groups of healthcare professionals working during the Covid-19 pandemic and looked for any correlation between these three variables. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional observational research design and gathered data from respondents across various regions of India through an anonymous online or paper-based questionnaire tailored to the preferences of each participating Healthcare Worker (HCW). The assessment of professional fulfilment was conducted by employing the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index and the sleep quality of healthcare workers was determined via the use of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The variables were analyzed using statistical tools; Chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test,Kruskal-Wallis One Way Analysis of Variance and Spearman’s rank correlation Results: Burnout was notably higher among the HCWs with poorer Sleep quality and lower in HCWs with higher Professional Fulfilment. Correlations further revealed that Burnout scores positively correlated with Work exhaustion and Interpersonal Disengagement Conclusion: This illustrates that HCWs with poorer sleep quality and lesser professional fulfilment experienced greater burnout at work during the COVID-19 pandemic Clinical significance: These insights guide healthcare providers and policy markers to optimize the well being of Healthcare Workers and foster informed preparedness in case of future pandemics. Keywords: COVID-19, PSQI, HCW, SPFI, Burnout, Professional Fulfilment, Sleep Quality.

Workplace support for physicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Did it affect burnout?

BackgroundA concern before 2020, physician burnout worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Little empirical data are available on pandemic workplace support interventions or their influence on burnout. We surveyed a national sample of frontline physicians on burnout and workplace support during the pandemic.MethodsWe surveyed a stratified random sample of 12,833 US physicians most likely to care for adult COVID-19 patients from the comprehensive AMA Physician Professional Data ™ file. The sample included 6722 primary care physicians (3331 family physicians, 3391 internists), 880 hospitalists, 1783 critical care physicians (894 critical care physicians, 889 pulmonary intensivists), 2548 emergency medicine physicians, and 900 infectious disease physicians. The emailed survey elicited physicians’ perceptions of organizational interventions to provide workplace support and/or to address burnout. Burnout was assessed with the Professional Fulfillment Index Burnout Composite scale (PFI-BC). Proportional specialty representation and response bias were addressed by survey weighting. Logistic regression assessed the association of physician characteristics and workplace interventions with burnout.ResultsAfter weighting, respondents were representative of the total sample. Overall physician burnout was 45.4%, significantly higher than in our previous survey. Open-ended responses mentioned that staffing shortages (physician, nursing, and other staff) combined with the increased volume, complexity, and acuity of patients during the pandemic increased job demands. The most frequent workplace support interventions were direct pandemic control measures (increased access to personal protective equipment, 70.0%); improved telehealth functionality (43.4%); and individual resiliency tools (yoga, meditation, 30.7%). Respondents placed highest priority on workplace interventions to increase financial support and increase nursing and clinician staffing. Factors significantly associated with lower odds of burnout were practicing critical care (compared with emergency medicine) OR 0.33 (95% CI 0.12 – 0.93), improved telehealth functionality OR 0.47 (95% CI 0.23 – 0.97) and being in practice for 11 years or longer OR 0.44 (95% CI 0.19–0.99).ConclusionsBurnout across frontline specialties increased during the pandemic. Physician respondents focused on inadequate staffing in the context of caring for more and sicker patients, combined with the lack of administrative efforts to mitigate problems. Burnout mitigation requires system-level interventions beyond individual-focused stress reduction programs to improve staffing, increase compensation, and build effective teams.

Workforce nurturing: an approach to improving wellbeing, burnout and professional fulfilment among Australian doctors.

To assess the workplace drivers of professional fulfilment, burnout and perceived impact of workplace issues on wellbeing in doctors working in a regional Australian hospital, following a 6-month period of comprehensive workforce nurturing strategies. An online cross-sectional survey combined both qualitative feedback and quantitative measures of wellbeing including the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index to assess professional fulfillment and burnout and a workplace issues inventory to assess the relative perceived influence on work-related wellbeing. Survey responses from 124 doctors comprised approximately 60% (n=74) prevocational doctors, 12% (n=15) registrars and 28% (n=35) specialist doctors. Around 63% (n=78) of participants were international medical graduates. Overall, 25% (n=31) reported professional fulfilment and 13% (n=13) reported burnout. The top 6 workplace issues were (i) inefficient work practices and/or processes, (ii) medical officer vacancies in my department, (iii) inadequate support staff and/or excessive admin burden, (iv) inadequate workplace staff amenities, (v) poor access to nutritious onsite food, (vi) inability to access my entitled daily meal break. Factors perceived as having a minimal impact on wellbeing included learning opportunities, rostering, access to leave and support during challenging clinical situations, were directly related to the workforce nurturing strategies implemented. This comprehensive evaluation of wellbeing in a regional healthcare setting provides a novel contribution to the literature by illustrating the transformative potential of workforce nurturing. Notably, the findings reflect the potential impact of workforce nurturing upon professional fulfilment and burnout, in the context of a regional hospital setting.

A Qualitative Study of Strategies to Improve Occupational Well-being in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians.

Physiatry is a specialty with high rates of burnout. Although organizational strategies to combat burnout are key, it is also important to understand strategies that individual physiatrists can use to address burnout. The aim of the study is to identify changes that resulted in improvement of occupational well-being of physiatrists over a 6- to 9-mo period. We employed two quantitative surveys spaced 6-9 mos apart to identify physiatrists who experienced meaningful improvement in occupational burnout and/or professional fulfillment between the two survey time points. These physiatrists were subsequently recruited to participate in a qualitative study using semistructured interviews to identify changes that respondents felt contributed to improvements in burnout and professional fulfillment. Online surveys and interviews. Physiatrists in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Membership Masterfile. Burnout and professional fulfillment were assessed using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index. One hundred twelve physiatrists responded to the baseline and follow-up surveys. Of these, 35 were eligible for interviews based on improvements in the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, and 23 (64%) agreed to participate. Themes from the qualitative interviews highlighted the importance of personal lifestyle choices, approaches to improve professional satisfaction, and strategies to foster work-life harmony. Personal lifestyle strategies included investing in wellness and mental health. Efforts to improve professional satisfaction included decreasing work intensity, prioritizing meaningful aspects of work, and building relationships with colleagues. Fostering work-life harmony also included making trade-offs in both domains, setting boundaries at work, setting expectations at home, and overcoming personal challenges. Our findings illustrate that in addition to organizational strategies demonstrated to be effective, there are actions that individual physiatrists can take to recover from burnout and foster professional fulfillment.

A qualitative study of strategies to improve occupational well-being in physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians.

Physiatry is a specialty with high rates of burnout. Although organizational strategies to combat burnout are key, it is also important to understand strategies that individual physiatrists can use to address burnout. To identify changes that resulted in improvement of occupational well-being of physiatrists over a 6- to 9-month period. We employed two quantitative surveys spaced 6 to 9 months apart to identify physiatrists who experienced meaningful improvement in occupational burnout and/or professional fulfillment between the two survey timepoints. These physiatrists were subsequently recruited to participate in a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to identify changes that respondents felt contributed to improvements in burnout and professional fulfillment. Online surveys and interviews. Physiatrists in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Membership Masterfile. Burnout and professional fulfillment were assessed using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index. One hundred twelve physiatrists responded to the baseline and follow-up surveys. Of these, 35 were eligible for interviews based on improvements in the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index, and 23 (64%) agreed to participate. Themes from the qualitative interviews highlighted the importance of personal lifestyle choices, approaches to improve professional satisfaction, and strategies to foster work-life harmony. Personal lifestyle strategies included investing in wellness and mental health. Efforts to improve professional satisfaction included decreasing work intensity, prioritizing meaningful aspects of work, and building relationships with colleagues. Fostering work-life harmony also included making trade-offs in both domains, setting boundaries at work, setting expectations at home, and overcoming personal challenges. Our findings illustrate that, in addition to organizational strategies demonstrated to be effective, there are actions that individual physiatrists can take to recover from burnout and foster professional fulfillment.

The opportunity to lead facilitates PA professional well-being.

Physician associates/assistants (PAs) with mature careers represent an important leadership resource for healthcare employers. This study sought to determine whether PA leadership task responsibility interacted with experience level to predict professional well-being. This quantitative study used an archival dataset from a national sample of PAs. The Professional Fulfillment Index was used to measure well-being and career length was used to represent experience level. PA leadership task responsibility was calculated as an aggregate score. Bivariate linear regression with mediation analysis was conducted to determine the relationship between variables. An increase in PA experience level predicted higher professional fulfillment and lower burnout, and aggregate leadership task score partially mediated this relationship. Granting leadership task responsibility compatible with experience level may enhance PA professional fulfillment, mitigate burnout, and increase PA usefulness for healthcare employers.

Physician Coaching by Professionally Trained Peers for Burnout and Well-Being

Physician burnout is problematic despite existing interventions. More evidence-based approaches are needed. To explore the effect of individualized coaching by professionally trained peers on burnout and well-being in physicians. This randomized clinical trial involved Mass General Physician Organization physicians who volunteered for coaching from August 5 through December 1, 2021. The data analysis was performed from February through October 2022. Participants were randomized to 6 coaching sessions facilitated by a peer coach over 3 months or a control condition using standard institutional resources for burnout and wellness. The primary outcome was burnout as measured by the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index. Secondary outcomes included professional fulfillment, effect of work on personal relationships, quality of life, work engagement, and self-valuation. Analysis was performed on a modified intention-to-treat basis. Of 138 physicians enrolled, 67 were randomly allocated to the coaching intervention and 71 to the control group. Most participants were aged 31 to 60 years (128 [93.0%]), women (109 [79.0%]), married (108 [78.3%]), and in their early to mid career (mean [SD], 12.0 [9.7] years in practice); 39 (28.3%) were Asian, 3 (<0.1%) were Black, 9 (<0.1%) were Hispanic, 93 were (67.4%) White, and 6 (<0.1%) were of other race or ethnicity. In the intervention group, 52 participants underwent coaching and were included in the analysis. Statistically significant improvements in burnout, interpersonal disengagement, professional fulfillment, and work engagement were observed after 3 months of coaching compared with no intervention. Mean scores for interpersonal disengagement decreased by 30.1% in the intervention group and increased by 4.1% in the control group (absolute difference, -0.94 poimys [95% CI, -1.48 to -0.41 points; P = .001), while mean scores for overall burnout decreased by 21.6% in the intervention group and increased by 2.5% in the control group (absolute difference, -0.79 points; 95% CI, -1.27 to -0.32 points; P = .001). Professional fulfillment increased by 10.7% in the intervention group compared with no change in the control group (absolute difference, 0.59 points; 95% CI, 0.01-1.16 points; P = .046). Work engagement increased by 6.3% in the intervention group and decreased by 2.2% in the control group (absolute difference, 0.33 points; 95% CI, 0.02-0.65 points; P = .04). Self-valuation increased in both groups, but not significantly. The findings of this hospital-sponsored program show that individualized coaching by professionally trained peers is an effective strategy for reducing physician burnout and interpersonal disengagement while improving their professional fulfillment and work engagement. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05036993.

Meaningful Work, Career Fit, and Professional Well-Being of Pediatric Academicians in the United States.

Examine associations between time spent in academic activities perceived as meaningful and professional well-being among academic pediatrics faculty. The sample comprised 248 full-time pediatric faculty (76% female, 81% white, non-Hispanic, 41% instructor or assistant professor) across the United States who completed an online survey in November 2019. Survey items included sociodemographic and professional characteristics, professional well-being measures (Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index; Maslach Burnout Inventory; Intention to Leave Academic Medicine), perceived meaningfulness of academic activities and assigned time to those activities. We defined global career fit as total percentage time assigned to professional activities considered meaningful by individuals, and activity-specific career fit as percentage time assigned to each meaningful professional activity. As global career fit scores increased, professional fulfillment increased (r = 0.45, P < .001), whereas burnout (r = -0.29, P < .001) and intention to leave (r = -0.22, P < .001) decreased. Regarding activity-specific career fit, for individuals who considered patient care meaningful, as assigned time to patient care increased, professional fulfillment decreased (r = -0.14, P = .048) and burnout (r = 0.16, P = .02) and intention to leave (r = 0.26, P < .001) increased. There was no significant correlation between assigned time for teaching, research, or advocacy and professional well-being. Faculty were less likely to intend to leave academic medicine as assigned time increased for administrative or leadership activities if considered meaningful (r = -0.24, P = .01). Time assigned to meaningful work activities may relate to professional well-being of academic pediatrics faculty. More time assigned to patient care, despite being meaningful, was associated with poor self-reported professional well-being. Effort allocation among diverse academic activities needs to be optimized to improve faculty well-being.

Examining Burnout and Perspective on Videoconferencing in the Mental Health Workforce.

Objective: To examine burnout and perspectives on videoconferencing over time for the mental health workforce. Methods: Members of an academic psychiatry department completed two anonymous surveys about virtual work and burnout 18 months apart (T1n = 274, response rate = 66.8%; T2n = 227, response rate = 36.7%). A subset completed the burnout subscale of the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index (T1n = 145; T2n = 127). Results: Respondents were well satisfied with videoconferencing at both time points and satisfaction was higher at T2. Videoconferencing was not perceived to contribute to feelings of fatigue at either time point and burnout levels decreased from T1 to T2. Conclusions: Videoconferencing is well received by the mental health workforce and is not widely perceived to contribute to feelings of fatigue. Longer use of videoconferencing coincided with decreased levels of burnout. There are likely benefits to virtual work for the mental health workforce and virtual work may be protective from burnout.

Investigating the Feasibility of Using a Wearable Device to Measure Physiologic Health Data in Emergency Nurses and Residents: Observational Cohort Study.

Emergency departments play a pivotal role in the US health care system, with high use rates and inherent stress placed on patients, patient care, and clinicians. The impact of the emergency department environment on the health and well-being of emergency residents and nurses can be seen in worsening rates of burnout and cardiovascular health. Research on clinician health has historically been completed outside of clinical areas and not personalized to the individual. The expansion of digital technology, specifically wearable devices, may enhance the ability to understand how health care environments impact clinicians. The primary objective of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of using wearable devices to measure and record physiologic data from emergency nurses and resident physicians. Understanding strategies that are accepted and used by clinicians is critical prior to launching larger investigations aimed at improving outcomes. This was a longitudinal pilot study conducted at an academic, urban, level 1 trauma center. A total of 20 participants, including emergency medicine resident physicians and nurses, were equipped with a wearable device (WHOOP band) and access to a mobile health platform for 6 weeks. Baseline surveys assessed burnout, mental health, and expectations of the device and experience. Participants provided open-ended feedback on the device and platform, contributing to the assessment of acceptance, adoption, and use of the wearable device. Secondary measures explored early signs and variations in heart rate variability, sleep, recovery, burnout, and mental health assessments. Of the 20 participants, 10 consistently used the wearable device. Feedback highlighted varying experiences with the device, with a preference for more common wearables like the Apple Watch or Fitbit. Resident physicians demonstrated higher engagement with the device and platform as compared with nurses. Baseline mental health assessments indicated mild anxiety and depressive symptoms among participants. The Professional Fulfillment Index revealed low professional fulfillment, moderate workplace exhaustion, and interpersonal disengagement. This pilot study underscores the potential of wearable devices in monitoring emergency clinicians' physiologic data but reveals challenges related to device preferences and engagement. The key takeaway is the necessity to optimize device and platform design for clinician use. Larger, randomized trials are recommended to further explore and refine strategies for leveraging wearable technology to support the well-being of the emergency workforce.

Burnout syndrome in a single cohort of chiropractic students: A longitudinal study.

Physician well-being impacts all areas of health care. There is, however, a paucity of evidence regarding burnout among chiropractic students. The purpose of this project is to evaluate burnout among a single cohort of chiropractic students as they progress through their clinical rotation. The Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) was administered to chiropractic students (n = 108) at the start of their internship in January of 2021. The PFI was also distributed to students at the end of each of their 3 internship terms. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) was administered at the end of interns' eighth term of study to assess validity with the PFI. The MBI and PFI were analyzed via pairwise correlation. Demographic and relevant term questions were asked at baseline and respective terms and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Of the study's 78 respondents (72.2% response rate), 55.8% were male with an average age of 28.6 years. Pairwise comparisons revealed statistically significant burnout differences between the baseline timepoint and the end of the eighth term, and between the baseline and the end of the ninth term. PFI burnout was correlated to emotional exhaustion in the MBI. Our study found that approximately half of the participating chiropractic students suffered from burnout. This percentage is similar to burnout rates seen in other health care providers. Moreover, there is no widely accepted burnout threshold used in the literature. As such, studies examining standardization of burnout calculations may be warranted.

A Mixed-Methods Cohort Study Evaluating the Impact of a One-Day Well-Being Course for Anesthesia Providers Working in Low-Resource Settings.

Burnout, depression, and anxiety are increasingly recognized as common among health care providers. Risks for these conditions are exacerbated in low-resource settings by excessive workload, high disease burden, resource shortage, and stigma against mental health issues. Based on discussions and requests to learn more about burnout during the Vital Anaesthesia Simulation Training (VAST), our team developed VAST Wellbeing, a 1-day course for health care providers in low-resource settings to recognize and mitigate burnout and to promote personal and professional well-being. This mixed-methods study used quantitative pre- and postcourse surveys using validated mental health measures and qualitative semistructured interviews to explore participants' experience of VAST Wellbeing during and after the course. Quantitative outcomes included burnout and professional fulfillment as measured by the Professional Fulfillment Index and general well-being as measured by the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Twenty-six participants from 9 countries completed the study. In the immediate postcourse survey, study participants rated the course overall as "very good" (60.7%) and "excellent" (28.6%). Quantitative analysis showed no statistical differences in levels of work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, burnout, professional fulfillment, or general mental well-being 2 months after the course. Five themes on the impact of VAST Wellbeing were identified during qualitative analysis: (1) raising awareness, breaking taboos; (2) not feeling alone; (3) permission and capacity for personal well-being; (4) workplace empowerment; and (5) VAST Wellbeing was relevant, authentic, and needed. Causes of burnout are complex and multidimensional. VAST Wellbeing did not change measures of burnout and fulfillment 2 months postcourse but did have a meaningful impact by raising awareness, reducing stigma, fostering connection, providing skills to prioritize personal well-being, and empowering people to seek workplace change.

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Breathing and a Meditation Program for Burnout Among Physicians

Physicians are exposed to high stress and strain that results in burnout, which affects them, their families, their patients, and the entire health care system; thus, there is an urgent need to develop methods to increase the resiliency of physicians. Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) is a comprehensive yoga breathing and meditation-based program that is a potential approach to mitigate physician burnout. To determine whether SKY can reduce psychological distress and improve wellness in physicians. This randomized clinical trial assessed the potential efficacy of SKY compared with a stress management education (SME) training as control. This study was conducted online from November 11, 2021, to March 14, 2022, and included physicians from Turkey, Germany, and Dubai. Both the SKY and the SME control groups received 1.5 hours of training for 3 consecutive days via a group video conference call. Participants were physicians willing to do some form of relaxation exercise everyday for 2 months. Exclusion criteria included presence of major illness and maintaining a regular mind-body program practice. Statistical analysis took place from March to November 2023. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 into 2 groups-the SKY group or the SME (control) group-using a computer algorithm. After the 3-day instruction period, the participants in the SKY group practiced for approximately 30 minutes per day on their own and participated in a weekly 1-hour, group-based online follow-up practice. After the 3-day instruction period, participants in the SME group reviewed and applied the notes from stress management education training at their initiative and had a weekly 1-hour group-based online follow-up session. The primary outcomes were stress and depression (measured by the 42-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale [DASS-42]) and insomnia measured by the Regensburg Insomnia Scale (RIS) with primary end point at 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes included anxiety (DASS-42); optimism (Life Orientation Test-Revised [LOT-R]); professional fulfillment, work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and overall burnout (Professional Fulfillment Index [PFI]); and self-reported professional errors (Self-Reported Professional Error Questionnaire). This study included 129 participants (SME, 63 participants [48.9%]; SKY, 66 participants [51.1%]; 115 females [89.2%]; 14 males [10.8%]; mean [SD] age, 46.2 [9.0] years). Compared with the SME control group, participants in the SKY group had significantly decreased stress on the DASS-42 at posttraining (difference, -6.8 points; 95% CI, -9.6 to -4.1 points; P = .006) and at postintervention (difference, -6.0 points; 95% CI, -8.8 to -3.3 points; P = .03), significantly decreased depression at posttraining (difference, -5.7 points; 95% CI, -8.6 to -2.8 points; P < .001) and postintervention (difference, -5.4 points; 95% CI, -8.3 to -2.5 points; P < .001), and significantly decreased anxiety at postintervention. In addition, there was a significant decrease in insomnia from baseline to postintervention in the SKY group (difference, -0.3 points; 95% CI, -2.3 to 1.7 points; P = .01). The SKY group also showed significantly increased professional fulfillment as well as significant decreases in work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and burnout. There was no effect on self-reported medical errors. In this randomized clinical trial, physicians who regularly practiced SKY throughout a 2-month period experienced improvements in wellness and decreased burnout. These data suggest that SKY may be an effective, practical, and safe strategy to increase wellness and mitigate burnout in physicians. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05956470.

Vacation Days Taken, Work During Vacation, and Burnout Among US Physicians

Vacation has been shown to be an important restorative activity in the general population; less is known about physicians' vacation behaviors and their association with burnout and professional fulfillment. To examine the number of vacation days taken per year and the magnitude of physician work while on vacation and their association with physician burnout and professional fulfillment, by individual and organizational characteristics. This cross-sectional survey of US physicians was conducted between November 20, 2020, and March 23, 2021. Data analysis was performed from March to July 2023. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Index, and professional fulfillment was measured using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index. Number of vacation days taken in the last year, time spent working on patient care and other professional tasks per typical vacation day (ie, work on vacation), electronic health record (EHR) inbox coverage while on vacation, barriers to taking vacation, and standard demographics were collected. Among 3024 respondents, 1790 of 3004 (59.6%), took 15 or fewer days of vacation in the last year, with 597 of 3004 (19.9%) taking 5 or fewer days. The majority, 2104 respondents (70.4%), performed patient care-related tasks on vacation, with 988 of 2988 (33.1%) working 30 minutes or more on a typical vacation day. Less than one-half of physicians (1468 of 2991 physicians [49.1%]) reported having full EHR inbox coverage while on vacation. On multivariable analysis adjusting for personal and professional factors, concern about finding someone to cover clinical responsibilities (odds ratio [OR], 0.48 [95% CI, 0.35-0.65] for quite a bit; OR, 0.30 [95% CI, 0.21-0.43] for very much) and financial concerns (OR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.36-0.66] for quite a bit; OR, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.27-0.54] for very much) were associated with decreased likelihood of taking more than 3 weeks of vacation per year. Taking more than 3 weeks of vacation per year (OR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.45-0.98] for 16-20 days; OR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.40-0.86] for >20 days vs none) and having full EHR inbox coverage while on vacation (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.88) were associated with lower rates of burnout on multivariable analysis, whereas spending 30 minutes or longer per vacation day on patient-related work (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.22-2.04 for 30-60 minutes; OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.41-2.77 for 60-90 minutes; OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.36-2.73 for >90 minutes) was associated with higher rates of burnout. In this cross-sectional study of 3024 physicians, the number of vacation days taken and performing patient-related work while on vacation were associated with physician burnout. System-level efforts to ensure physicians take adequate vacation and have coverage for clinical responsibilities, including EHR inbox, may reduce physician burnout.

Well-Being Parameters and Intention to Leave Current Institution Among Academic Physicians

Physician turnover interrupts care delivery and creates health care system financial burden. To describe the prevalence of burnout, professional fulfillment, and intention to leave (ITL) among physicians at academic-affiliated health care systems and identify institutional and individual factors associated with ITL. This cross-sectional study administered a survey to 37 511 attending-level medical specialists at 15 academic medical institutions participating in the Healthcare Professional Well-Being Academic Consortium. Data were collected from October 2019 to July 2021. Statistical analysis was performed from May 2022 to March 2023. Hypothesized institutional and individual determinants of occupational well-being. The main outcome was ITL, defined as having at least a moderate intention (a score of 2 on a 0-4 scale) to leave one's institution within the next 2 years. Additional outcomes included burnout and professional fulfillment, defined using published Professional Fulfillment Index cut points. Of 18 719 academic physician survey respondents (8381 [44.8%] male; 2388 [12.8%] Asian, 10 599 [56.6%] White, 1039 [5.6%] other race, 4693 [25.1%] unknown race; 294 [1.6%] Hispanic or Latina/Latino/Latinx), 6903 of 18 217 (37.9%) met criteria for burnout and 7301 of 18 571 (39.3%) for professional fulfillment; 5177 of 15 890 (32.6%) reported moderate or greater ITL. Burnout, professional fulfillment, and ITL varied across specialties. After adjusting for demographics, each 1-point increase (range 0-10) in burnout was directly associated with ITL (odds ratio [OR], 1.52 [95% CI, 1.49-1.55])c, and each 1-point increase in professional fulfillment was inversely associated with ITL (OR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.63-0.65]). After adjusting for demographics, burnout, and professional fulfillment, each 1-point increase (range 0-10) in supportive leadership behaviors (OR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.82-0.84]), peer support (OR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.91-0.95]), personal-organizational values alignment (OR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.80-0.82]), perceived gratitude (OR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.92-0.97]), COVID-19 organizational support (OR, 0.88 [95% CI, 0.85-0.91]), and electronic health record helpfulness (OR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.93-0.97]) were inversely associated with ITL, whereas each 1-point increase (range 0-10) in depression (OR, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.05-1.10]) and negative impact of work on personal relationships (OR, 1.09 [1.07-1.11]) were directly associated with ITL. In this cross-sectional study of academic physicians, 32.6% indicated moderate or higher ITL within 2 years. Burnout, lack of professional fulfillment, and other well-being factors were associated with ITL, suggesting the need for a comprehensive approach to reduce physician turnover.