Evaluating the Impact of an Online Mindfulness Program on Healthcare Workers in Korean Medicine Institutions: A Two-Year Retrospective Study

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: This retrospective study evaluated the effectiveness of a two-year online mindfulness program (five biweekly sessions) combined with a smartphone application for healthcare workers (HCWs) in Korean medicine (KM) institutions. <b>Methods</b>: Twenty-three participants, including KM University students, KM doctors, and nurses, completed a 9-week online mindfulness program in 2023 or 2024. The pre- and post-intervention surveys assessed subjective health status (SHS), knowledge of mind-body modalities (MBMs), hwa-byung (HB) symptoms, emotional labor (EL), burnout, and program satisfaction. <b>Results</b>: Participants showed significant improvements in SHS (<i>p</i> = 0.008) and MBM knowledge (<i>p</i> = 0.035). HB personality scores decreased significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.027), while the reduction in HB symptoms approached statistical significance (<i>p</i> = 0.052). The frequency of interactions among job-focused EL increased (<i>p</i> = 0.003). The subgroup analysis revealed significant reductions in HB personality traits (<i>p</i> = 0.017) and symptoms (<i>p</i> = 0.006) among practicing KM doctors and nurses. No significant changes were observed in burnout levels. Participants reported high satisfaction (median 8.00 [IQR 8.0-9.0]) and willingness to recommend the program (median 5.00 [IQR 4.0-5.0]). <b>Conclusions</b>: Analysis of the 2-year results suggests that the online mindfulness program effectively improved SHS, MBM knowledge, and HB-related symptoms among HCWs in KM institutions, particularly among practicing professionals. High satisfaction rates indicated the acceptability of the program. Future research should use larger sample sizes and randomized controlled designs to further validate these findings and explore long-term outcomes. This intervention shows promise as a tool to promote mental health in Korean healthcare settings.