Identification of Surgeon Burnout via a Single-Item Measure

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical workforce well-being
• Occupational health

Background:

• Surgeon burnout is prevalent in the UK, impacting patient safety, care quality, and workforce sustainability.
• Current multi-item burnout assessments pose challenges due to burden, expertise, and cost.
• Efficient identification mechanisms are crucial for this high-risk population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate a single-item burnout measure against the established 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) in UK surgeons.
• To assess the reliability and discriminatory power of a single-item burnout assessment.

Main Methods:

• Consultant (n=333) and trainee (n=217) surgeons completed both the MBI and a single-item burnout measure.
• Discriminatory power was evaluated to determine if the single-item measure accurately classified burnout status.

Main Results:

• The single-item measure showed excellent discriminatory power for emotional exhaustion in both consultants (AUC=0.86) and trainees (AUC=0.80).
• Discrimination for depersonalization and personal accomplishment varied between consultant and trainee groups.

Conclusions:

• A single-item burnout measure is suitable for efficiently assessing emotional exhaustion in UK surgeons.
• Regular use can facilitate early identification of burnout, enabling timely interventions and workforce monitoring.
• This approach supports resource allocation and proactive management of surgeon well-being.