Prevalence of burnout and impact of workload on physician wellness: A cross-sectional survey of hospitalists in British Columbia, Canada.

Abstract

Background: Hospitalists in British Columbia care for a large percentage of hospitalized patients across 21 acute care facilities.

Objective: We aimed to characterize the demographic and work attributes of the workforce and to understand levels of burnout and the relationship between workload and job satisfaction.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of individuals participating in hospitalist programs in BC.

Results: Almost all individuals (96%) were involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 in 2021, the height of the pandemic. High rates of burnout were demonstrated among hospitalists, with a large number of providers planning to significantly reduce or stop their involvement in acute care. Regression analysis identified workload as an important factor associated with burnout. Older physicians, those who had been practising for longer, and those with moderate to high number of shifts were more likely to consider reducing their involvement with their programs.

Conclusions: High levels of burnout are associated with a desire to reduce work involvement among BC hospitalists. Health system leaders need to consider factors contributing to burnout as a key aspect of broader health human resource planning efforts.