Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic upon self-reported physician burnout in Ontario, Canada: evidence from a repeated cross-sectional survey

Abstract

ObjectivesTo estimate the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic on levels of burnout among physicians in Ontario, Canada, and to understand physician perceptions of the contributors and solutions to burnout.DesignRepeated cross-sectional survey.SettingActive and retired physicians, residents and medical students in Canada’s largest province were invited to participate in an online survey via an email newsletter.ParticipantsIn the first survey wave (March 2020), 1400 members responded (representing 76.3% of those who could be confirmed to have received the survey and 3.1% of total membership). In the second wave (March 2021), 2638 responded (75.9% of confirmed survey recipients and 5.8% of membership).Key outcome measureLevel of burnout was assessed using a validated, single-item, self-defined burnout measure where options ranged from 1 (no symptoms of burnout) to 5 (completely burned out).ResultsThe overall rate of high levels of burnout (self-reported levels 4–5) increased from 28.0% in 2020 (99% CI: 24.3% to 31.7%) to 34.7% in 2021 (99% CI: 31.8% to 37.7%), a 1-year increase of 6.8 percentage points (p<0.01). After a full year of practising during the COVID-19 pandemic, respondents ranked ‘patient expectations/patient accountability’, ‘reporting and administrative obligations’ and ‘practice environment’ as the three factors that contributed most to burnout. Respondents ranked ‘streamline and reduce required documentation/administrative work’, ‘provide fair compensation’ and ‘improve work–life balance’ as the three most important solutions.ConclusionsDuring the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, prevalence of high levels of burnout had significantly increased. The contributors and solutions ranked highest by physicians were system-level or organisational in nature.