Assessing Contributing and Mediating Factors of Telemedicine on Burnout

Scientific Abstract Objective The prevalence of burnout among healthcare providers has been steadily increasing, with a call to action issued in 2019. Immediately following this call to action, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically changed demand. Use of telemedicine expanded in response to COVID-19 and changed the experience of care delivery for healthcare providers. The impact of telemedicine use during COVID-19 on the provider well-being is less well known. This study aims to assess the prevalence of burnout in providers who used telemedicine and to better understand how specific factors of telemedicine can impact workplace stress. Methods Providers in urgent care clinics were invited to participate in a burnout assessment survey using the Maslach Burnout Inventory questionnaire. The prevalence of burnout, burnout profiles, and correlations were analyzed in the resulting data. Follow-up interviews provided further insight on contributing and mediating factors of telemedicine on provider burnout. Results The findings from this study provide technology- and organizational-level recommendations to prevent increased risk of burnout among telemedicine providers. The classification of contributing and mediating factors also provides a framework for understanding the risks that this technology can pose to workplace stress. Future research recommendations to better quantify the relationship between burnout and telemedicine use and to effectively design intervention and implementation strategies are discussed. Public Interest Summary Considering the high rates of burnout in the healthcare industry prior to the pandemic, the severe demands the COVID-19 pandemic had on healthcare workers, and the drastic changes in workflow due to the widespread adoption of telemedicine, it is important to assess current levels of provider burnout and to collect information from frontline clinicians on how telemedicine impacts workplace stress. A survey was administered to assess burnout in healthcare workers who provided care via telemedicine. The interviews provided additional insight on how telemedicine affected workplace stress. Survey results showed that 25% of the respondents reported one or more manifestations of burnout; and there was a correlation between personal accomplishment scores and reported months of telemedicine use. Findings from the interviews and review of literature identified what design and use characteristics of telemedicine contributed to and/or alleviated burnout. Results address how organizations can best support their employees who administer care via telemedicine and guide researchers with direction for future studies.