Physical work environment and burnout among primary care physicians in Israel: a cross-sectional study

Yaara Bentolila, Liat Lev Shalem, Bar Cohen, Limor Adler

Keywords: physical work environment; burnout; primary care.

Background:

Physicians' burnout is extensive and affects work satisfaction and patient care. Studies regarding physical work environments of physicians and their impact on burnout are scarce.

Research questions:

To describe aspects of physical work environment of primary care physicians (PCPs) and to explore the association between physical work environment and burnout.

Method:

In this cross-sectional study, we sent questionnaires to PCPs working in Israel. We asked physicians about their work environment, satisfaction levels with their work environment and included questions reflecting burnout status (Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure, SMBM).

Results:

During October 2021, 221 PCPs answered the questionnaire (27.6% response rate). Over a third (35.7%) of respondents reported high burnout (SMBM>4); 46.6% scored positive in the physical fatigue dimension, 25.3% in the emotional exhaustion dimension, and 15.4% in the cognitive weariness dimension. PCPs who were satisfied with their general physical environment had a lower prevalence of high burnout SMBM scores (28.1% vs. 47.8%, p-value = .004). When examining the relationship between facilities and general satisfaction, we report a positive correlation between general satisfaction with the physical work environment and characteristics of the clinic's building, the clinic, the doctor's office, and the waiting room (p=0.338, n=212, p-value<.001; p=0.162, n=212, p-value=.018; p=0.217, n=212, p-value<.001; p=0.159, n=212, p-value=0.021, respectively).

Conclusions:

We suggest certain elements of the physical work environment indirectly affect burnout rates, with general satisfaction from physical work environment being a moderating variable through which this influence is manifested. Physical work environment should be addressed when trying to tackle the problem of burnout among PCPs.

Points for discussion:

Thirty-five percent of respondents reported burnout symptoms; the most predominant dimension was physical fatigue

Satisfaction from physical work environment correlates with a lower risk of burnout among primary care physicians (PCPs).

Physical work environments of PCPs require specific considerations in attempting to prevent burnout in this population.

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