The Association of Teamlets and Teams with Physician Burnout and Patient Outcomes

Association of Burnout With Primary Care Clinician Perception of Team-Based Scheduling Support

INTRODUCTION

Primary care clinician burnout is pervasive and detrimental. How components of teamwork and clinic culture might contribute to burnout remains unsettled.

OBJECTIVE

To examine associations between primary care clinician perceptions of specific components of teamwork and of organizational culture, and perceived stress and burnout.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey study of primary care clinicians from 5 county health system clinics. Measures: Perceptions of teamwork related to coordination of care, and clinic provision of chronic disease self-management support; values alignment and workplace equity; and demographics.

DATA ANALYSIS

Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlations to examine associations, controlling for clinic and examining response variability by clinic.

RESULTS

Of 72 clinicians, 64% were female and 32% non-white. About 56% had worked at least 4 years and half worked 5 to 6 half days/week or more in their clinic. Clinicians who reported having someone on the clinician's care team routinely schedule follow-up appointments for patients with complex chronic illnesses reported lower stress and burnout. Those who perceived greater values alignment with their clinic and greater personal and employee equitable treatment had lower stress and burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Teamwork among clinicians and non-clinical staff, a component of teamwork that is not well-considered in current literature, could be an important piece of the puzzle to decrease the persistent and challenging issue of stress and burnout among primary care clinicians.