Physicians working in small, independent primary care practices reported significantly lower levels of burnout than the 2014 national average — 13.5 percent compared to 54.4 percent, according to a recent study out of the New York City-based NYU School of Medicine published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine July 9.
For the first-of-its-kind study, researchers examined data collected from 235 physicians practicing in 174 small independent primary care practices, or SIPs. The data was obtained through the HealthyHearts NYC trial, funded by the HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's EvidenceNOW national initiative.
Physicians involved in the survey answered multiple-choice questions with responses indicating various levels of burnout. Researchers discovered the burnout rate for New York City-based SIPs was 13.5 percent, compared to the 2014 national average of 54.4 percent. Researchers also noted SIPs identified as less burned out than their colleagues because the sense of independence and autonomy in small practice settings may insulate them against the typical feelings of burnout.
"The more we can understand what drives low rates of burnout, the more likely it is that we'll find solutions to this problem," said Donna Shelley, MD, a professor in the departments of population health and medicine at New York City-based NYU Langone Health, and the study's senior author. "The hope is that our research can inform ways for larger systems to foster autonomy within practices so that there is space to carve out a work environment that is aligned with doctors' needs, values and competencies."