Burnout in academic chairs of otolaryngology: head and neck surgery

Burnout can be characterized by a low degree of personal accomplishment and a high degree of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). With increasing demands and constraints placed on academic department chairs, the risk of developing burnout may be increasing. The prevalence of burnout in chairs of academic departments of otolaryngology and the factors associated with it have not been previously described.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of burnout in otolaryngology chairs and to identify the factors that are associated with burnout development. Understanding these elements can lead to improved prevention, recognition, and treatment of professional burnout.

A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study of 120 academic chairs of otolaryngology in the United States was performed.

A confidential questionnaire was mailed to U.S. otolaryngology chairs. The questionnaire consisted of six parts assessing the following elements: 1) demographic information, 2) professional stressors, 3) personal and professional life satisfaction, 4) a self efficacy survey, 5) a spousal support survey, and 6) the MBI-HSS. Statistical analyses were performed using Pearson correlation and analysis of variance, and burnout data were compared with previously reported data from other department chairs and physicians.

Questionnaires were returned from 107 department chairs for a response rate of 89%. Chairs were on average 56 years of age, serving as chair for a mean of 11 years. Average work week was 68 hours and did not vary significantly with increasing duration as chair. Sixty-six percent of time was spent delivering patient care, 8% in research, and 26% performing administrative duties. MBI-HSS scores demonstrate 3% of chairs experiencing high burnout, 81% of chairs with moderate burnout, and 16% of chairs with low burnout. On average, chairs have low depersonalization scores, low-moderate emotional exhaustion scores, and low-moderate personal accomplishment scores. High emotional exhaustion or depersonalization was correlated with low self-efficacy, low spousal support, disputes with the dean, department budget deficits, working nights and weekends, Medicare audits, loss of key faculty, and being a malpractice defendant. High personal accomplishment was correlated with increased time spent performing administrative duties. When compared with other physician specialties, otolaryngology chairs demonstrate less sense of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but also slightly less sense of personal accomplishment. Duration as chair, age, and hours worked per week were not associated with increased burnout.

Most otolaryngology chairs experience moderate levels of burnout. The biggest risk factors for burnout include low self-efficacy, low spousal support, disputes with the medical school dean, department budget deficits, and nights/weekends worked. These findings may help department chairs identify and prevent burnout and may help in developing programs to minimize burnout in our field's academic leaders.