Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology (Nov 2023)

Abstract 282: Understanding Current Organizational Strategies to Support Physician Well‐Being in Stroke, Neurocritical Care, and Neurointerventional Practice

  • Sachin A. Kothari,
  • Alicia Castonguay,
  • Waldo Guerrero,
  • Kaiz S. Asif,
  • Mohammad El‐Ghanem,
  • Ashish Kumar,
  • Michael Abraham,
  • Oana Dumitrascu,
  • Romario Ramos,
  • Dhruvil J. Pandya

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1161/SVIN.03.suppl_2.282
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. S2

Abstract

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Introduction Burnout in medicine is an occupational hazard and has emerged as a pressing concern in recent years. Organizational changes can be impactful in countering burnout (1). The factors leading to burnout in medicine are multifaceted, encompassing organizational factors such as workload, inadequate support, and inefficient administrative systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate current organizational measures to support physician well‐being. This study was an initiative led by the SVIN wellness committee. Methods A 39‐question online survey investigating current organizational well‐being practices was distributed to physicians both nationally and internationally practicing stroke, neurocritical care, and interventional neurology. Data analysis was performed using Python, utilizing the libraries “pandas” and “sklearn”. Results This study analyzed burnout among 109 healthcare professionals, predominantly from the U.S. (93.6%) and Canada (6.4%). The majority were neurointerventional specialists (53.2%), aged 35‐44 years (52.3%), and male (62.4%). Burnout frequency was measured on a 0 (Never) to 4 (Every day) scale. Using a Random Forest model, the study identified key burnout predictors from questions, which covered organizational leadership, wellness resources, compensation, and workload. The most influential predictors were: adequacy of compensation relative to specialty, workload, and stress (17.7% importance); leadership accountability for workforce wellbeing (9.1%); and establishment of wellness or burnout as a critical metric (7.5%). Other factors included provision of wellness screenings (7.1%), and dedication of resources toward professional well‐being (4.9%). Conclusion The study identifies compensation, leadership accountability, and wellness resources as key predictors of burnout among healthcare professionals. These findings highlight the need for targeted organizational strategies to enhance physician well‐being and mitigate burnout. Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these findings.