Physician Burnout in a Rural Kansas Community

Abstract

Introduction Physician wellness and burnout are topics of intensediscussion and study, however, less is known about rural physicianburnout. The aim of this study was to assess levels of physicianburnout in the rural Kansas community of Salina. Methods An electronic, confidential survey was conducted among145 physicians with active privileges at the local health center and/orsurgical center. The survey included demographic features, practicecharacteristics, and the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory™(aMBI). In addition, survey participants were invited to provide freetextresponses to questions concerning specific causes of burnoutand mechanisms to combat feelings of burnout. Results Of 145 invited, 76 physicians completed the survey. Thirty-six respondents self-identified as primary care physicians, 22as subspecialists, and 18 as surgeons. aMBI scores for emotionalexhaustion (EE), depersonalization (D) and personal accomplishment(PA) ranged from 0 to 18. The mean EE score was 8.4 (SD =4.9), mean D score was 4.8 (SD = 3.9), and mean PA score was 15.2(SD = 2.8). Using tertiles, physician burnout (i.e., those in the firsttertile) for EE was 39% (30/76), D was 34% (26/76), and PA was41% (31/75); 22% of physicians surveyed scored high on both EEand D as measured by tertiles, suggestive of more serious burnout.No significant differences in aMBI scores were observed for demographicfeatures or practice characteristics; physicians who workedwith medical students had higher PA scores. Contributing to burnoutwere demands of documentation and difficult patient encounters,while true time away might ameliorate rural physician burnout. Conclusions As measured by aMBI constructs, burnout is prevalentamong the responding rural physicians practicing in the Salina community.