A group of Cleveland Clinic researchers determined roughly 35 percent of physicians surveyed at one health system met the criteria for burnout, according to a research letter published Feb. 19 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
For the study, 1,145 Cleveland Clinic physicians completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory prior to a mandatory communication skills course between Aug. 1, 2013, and May 1, 2014. The MBI measured burnout according to three domains: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment, as well as overall burnout.
Researchers determined 399 of the 1,145 physicians, roughly 35 percent, met the criteria for overall burnout. They also witnessed a correlation between physicians' emotional exhaustion and an increased likelihood of leaving the organization and elevated patient satisfaction with primary care physician communication.
"Our findings have important implications for physician retention and healthcare delivery that have resulted in enterprise-wide mobilization and coordination of efforts to improve physician well-being," the authors wrote.
To access the full research letter, click here.