Comparison of Burnout and Fulfillment Rates between Physicians in Direct Primary Care and Other Practice Models

Area of Science:

• Medical Practice Models
• Physician Well-being
• Primary Care Research

Background:

• Primary care physicians face high burnout rates, ranking among the most affected medical specialties.
• Direct primary care (DPC) is a practice model hypothesized to reduce physician burnout, though it remains understudied.
• Understanding burnout risk factors in different primary care settings is crucial for improving physician satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare burnout and fulfillment rates between physicians in direct primary care (DPC) and non-DPC practice models.
• To identify and quantify burnout risk factors associated with each practice model.
• To provide empirical data on the impact of practice models on primary care physician well-being.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to primary care physicians in the southeastern United States.
• The Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index was utilized to measure physician burnout and fulfillment.
• Physicians were categorized into DPC or non-DPC practice models for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Direct primary care physicians reported significantly lower burnout (P = 0.002) and higher fulfillment (P = 0.013) than non-DPC physicians.
• Both groups worked similar weekly hours (P = 0.923), indicating practice model, not hours, influenced outcomes.
• DPC physicians had higher practice ownership rates (P < 0.001) and saw fewer patients daily (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The direct primary care model is associated with greater professional fulfillment and reduced burnout among physicians compared to traditional models.
• The findings suggest DPC may be a viable strategy for mitigating physician burnout in primary care.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to enhance statistical power and generalizability.