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Professional coaching can reduce burnout in doctors
Researchers have found coaching should be considered a ‘complementary strategy’ in reducing work-related stress.
Phone-based coaching sessions included topics such as debriefing, setting goals and designing actions to incorporate into daily life.
When the World Health Organization declared burnout a medical condition earlier this year it came as little surprise to many healthcare professionals.
Meanwhile, research has shown that doctors are at increased risk of burnout relative to workers in other fields.
But help may be at hand.
New research published in JAMA Internal Medicine has found a potential way to alleviate symptoms of burnout in doctors – through professional coaching.
This is the first study to specifically explore the effects of coaching on physician burnout.
The randomised trial involved 88 practising physicians – 48 women and 40 men – who filled out several self-assessment questionnaires at the start of the study.
After that initial survey, half of the participants were placed in the intervention group, while the other half comprised the control group.
Participants in the intervention group completed six sessions with a credentialed professional coach (who was not a doctor) over a period of six months, while the control group received no coaching.
The intervention group received an initial one-hour coaching session followed up by five 30-minute sessions, every two to three weeks.
All sessions were performed by telephone, and included topics such as debriefing, setting goals and designing actions to incorporate into daily life.
After that period, all participants again completed the same questionnaires.
The researchers found that absolute rates of overall burnout decreased by 17.1% in the intervention group, while they increased by 4.9% in the control group.
Meanwhile, absolute rates of high emotional exhaustion at five months decreased by 19.5% in the intervention group and increased by 9.8% in the control group.
This led researchers to conclude that such coaching can improve the overall quality of life of doctors, while also helping to build resilience. They therefore said professional coaching should be considered a ‘complementary strategy’ to be used in combination with other approaches to reduce work-related stress.
Dr Elizabeth Hindmarsh, GP and Chair of the RACGP Specific Interests Abuse and Violence network, applauds such research.
‘It’s certainly very important that we look at ways of helping [GPs] to decrease their burnout and increase their feelings of wellbeing,’ she told newsGP.
‘I’ve been advocating that, as GPs, we should be getting professional support, and I’ve been advocating we should be doing that individually or in small peer groups, either using an outside person to help with that, or in a peer support group of GPs.’
Dr Hindmarsh believes that, in terms of cost, these supports could be covered under professional development.
While the new research looked at the benefits of professional coaching, Dr Hindmarsh noted that might not be the answer for reducing burnout in everyone.
‘I think there’s not a one-size-fits-all [answer],’ she said.
‘But we need to talk about it more and make it much more acceptable.’
Dr Hindmarsh said she is personally not aware of many GPs who actually seek professional coaching to help avert symptoms of burnout.
She laments the fact that, as a profession, seeking support to reduce burnout is not widely discussed in healthcare.
‘It’s not talked about very much, and it’s not embraced very widely,’ she said.
Dr Hindmarsh believes the lack of conversation on the topic acts as a barrier for GPs to seek support. Other barriers, she explained, include a pervasive belief that GPs ‘don’t have the time’ to seek help, and that they ‘don’t need it’.
GPs may also worry about the ramifications of seeking support, Dr Hindmarsh said.
However, lead researcher Dr Liselotte Dyrbye believes helping physicians manage the stress of their job is ‘crucial’.
She said although many doctors have a good informal support system, professional coaches can provide a safe setting in which to admit to issues such as perceived vulnerabilities and uncertainties.
‘We really think it can improve physicians’ ability to manage their careers and change the detrimental aspects of their work environments, so that ultimately they can do their job well without feeling overwhelmed,’ Dr Dyrbye said.
Previous research published in The BMJ Open found that more than a third of GPs experience psychological burnout, with male doctors particularly affected.
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