Louise H Hall1,2, Judith Johnson1,2, Jane Heyhoe2, Ian Watt3, Kevin Anderson4,5, Daryl B O'Connor1. 1. School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK. 2. Yorkshire Quality and Safety Research Group, Bradford Institute for Health Research, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK. 3. Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK. 4. Haxby Group Surgeries, Hull, UK. 5. Hull York Medical School, York, UK.
Abstract
Background: Primary care physicians are particularly prone to high levels of burnout and poor well-being. Despite this, no qualitative studies have specifically investigated the best ways to improve well-being and prevent burnout in primary care physicians. Previous interventions within primary care have been person-oriented and mainly focused on mindfulness, but there has been no prior research on whether general practitioners (GPs) deem this to be the best approach. Objectives: To explore strategies that could improve GP well-being and reduce or prevent burnout, based on GP perceptions of the workplace factors that affect their levels of well-being and burnout. Methods: Five focus groups were conducted, with 25 GPs (locums, salaried, trainees, and partners) in the UK, between September 2015 and February 2016. Focus groups took place in GP practices and private meeting rooms. Discussions were centered on the workplace factors that they perceived to influence their well-being, along with strategies that they use either personally, or as a practice, to try and prevent burnout. Furthermore, strategies that could feasibly be implemented by individuals and practices to improve well-being, as well as changes that are needed by groups or organizations that are external to their practice (e.g., the government) to improve the working conditions, were explored. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts. Results: Based on the contributors to burnout and workplace well-being that the participants identified, the following feasible strategies were suggested: compulsory daily coffee breaks, increasing self- and organizational awareness of the risks of burnout and mentoring or buddy systems. System-level organizational changes were voiced as vital, however, to improve the well-being of all primary care physicians. Increasing resources seemed to be the ideal solution, to allow for more administrative staff and GPs. Conclusion: These strategies merit further consideration by researchers, physicians, healthcare organizations and policy makers both in the UK and beyond. Failure to do so may result in healthcare staff becoming even more burntout, potentially leading to a loss of doctors from the workforce.
Background: Primary care physicians are particularly prone to high levels of burnout and poor well-being. Despite this, no qualitative studies have specifically investigated the best ways to improve well-being and prevent burnout in primary care physicians. Previous interventions within primary care have been person-oriented and mainly focused on mindfulness, but there has been no prior research on whether general practitioners (GPs) deem this to be the best approach. Objectives: To explore strategies that could improve GP well-being and reduce or prevent burnout, based on GP perceptions of the workplace factors that affect their levels of well-being and burnout. Methods: Five focus groups were conducted, with 25 GPs (locums, salaried, trainees, and partners) in the UK, between September 2015 and February 2016. Focus groups took place in GP practices and private meeting rooms. Discussions were centered on the workplace factors that they perceived to influence their well-being, along with strategies that they use either personally, or as a practice, to try and prevent burnout. Furthermore, strategies that could feasibly be implemented by individuals and practices to improve well-being, as well as changes that are needed by groups or organizations that are external to their practice (e.g., the government) to improve the working conditions, were explored. Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts. Results: Based on the contributors to burnout and workplace well-being that the participants identified, the following feasible strategies were suggested: compulsory daily coffee breaks, increasing self- and organizational awareness of the risks of burnout and mentoring or buddy systems. System-level organizational changes were voiced as vital, however, to improve the well-being of all primary care physicians. Increasing resources seemed to be the ideal solution, to allow for more administrative staff and GPs. Conclusion: These strategies merit further consideration by researchers, physicians, healthcare organizations and policy makers both in the UK and beyond. Failure to do so may result in healthcare staff becoming even more burntout, potentially leading to a loss of doctors from the workforce.
Authors: R Suñer-Soler; A Grau-Martín; S Font-Mayolas; M E Gras; C Bertran; M J M Sullman Journal: J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs Date: 2012-03-07 Impact factor: 2.952
Authors: Flavia Arigoni; Patrick A Bovier; Bernadette Mermillod; Patricia Waltz; André-Pascal Sappino Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2008-06-05 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Christine A Sinsky; Rachel Willard-Grace; Andrew M Schutzbank; Thomas A Sinsky; David Margolius; Thomas Bodenheimer Journal: Ann Fam Med Date: 2013 May-Jun Impact factor: 5.166
Authors: Jill Van Den Bos; Karan Rustagi; Travis Gray; Michael Halford; Eva Ziemkiewicz; Jonathan Shreve Journal: Health Aff (Millwood) Date: 2011-04 Impact factor: 6.301
Authors: Tait D Shanafelt; Sonja Boone; Litjen Tan; Lotte N Dyrbye; Wayne Sotile; Daniel Satele; Colin P West; Jeff Sloan; Michael R Oreskovich Journal: Arch Intern Med Date: 2012-10-08
Authors: Michael S Krasner; Ronald M Epstein; Howard Beckman; Anthony L Suchman; Benjamin Chapman; Christopher J Mooney; Timothy E Quill Journal: JAMA Date: 2009-09-23 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Diana Naehrig; Nick Glozier; Christiane Klinner; Louise Acland; Brendan Goodger; Ian B Hickie; Alyssa Milton Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-07-18 Impact factor: 3.006
Authors: Laura Cottey; Tom Roberts; Blair Graham; Daniel Horner; Kara Nicola Stevens; Doyo Enki; Mark David Lyttle; Jos Latour Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-11-02 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Vaishnavi Parimalanathan; Mark Joy; Pieter Jan Van Dam; Xuejuan Fan; Simon de Lusignan Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-01-10 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Brendan Crosbie; Michael Edmund O'Callaghan; Stuart O'Flanagan; David Brennan; Gavin Keane; William Behan Journal: Br J Gen Pract Date: 2020-06-25 Impact factor: 5.386