Predictors and contributors of burnout among hospitalists in central Michigan

Burnout among hospitalists is a growing focus of quality improvement for hospitals around the United States. Burnout has been associated with decreased patient care quality, which may lead to decreased system sustainability. A gap remains however regarding burnout factors in certain region-specific populations such as central Michigan. The objective of this study is to examine the associations between burnout and a collection of potentially impactful variables including gender, age, marital status, years at work, and dependents. Four domains of burnout were investigated among hospitalists at MyMichigan Saginaw and Midland Health Systems. These domains included client-related, work-related, personal, and overall burnout. A cross-sectional study using Qualtrics surveys was used to assess burnout levels, including comparisons between married/partnered vs single/unpartnered physicians. Results showed that married/partnered hospitalists reported significantly lower client-related and overall burnout compared to their unmarried/unpartnered peers. These findings suggest an association between spousal support and improved resistance to physician burnout, but not against workplace-specific stressors. Future studies may assess a causal protective effect of spousal support against the emotional and interpersonal aspects of burnout. Hospitals should consider the benefits of relationship-aware support in their scheduling and work practices. Accommodating these may help improve hospitalist satisfaction and performance.