Risk of burnout among emergency physicians at a tertiary care centre in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Emergency Medicine physicians are shown to be at increased risk of burnout. In this study, we aimed to assess the risk of burnout among emergency physicians working at one of the largest Emergency Departments in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study based on a structured questionnaire Maslach Burnout Inventory-
Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), which has been previously tested and validated extensively. The study targeted all physicians in the Emergency Department (ED) at a tertiary medical center in Riyadh. A total of 72 emergency physicians were included in the study.

Results: Overall, 53 (74%) out of 72 subjects filled the questionnaire. Out of the 53 respondents, 45 (85%) were males and eight (15%) females. The years of practice experience ranged from six months to 24 years, with a median of seven years.

Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey subscale results:

Emotional Exhaustion (EE): The mean EE score was 2.72 (SD 1.28), with 21 participants (40%) in the high-risk zone. Depersonalization (DP): The mean DP score was 1.86 (SD 1.31), with 21 participants (40%) in the high-risk zone. Personal Accomplishment (PA): The mean PA score was 4.5 (SD 0.9), with 17 participants (32%) in the high-risk zone.

Conclusion: Our results are consistent with previous literature in showing that emergency physicians are at a moderate
to high risk of burnout. Decision makers should take serious steps to address the threat, in order to minimize the risk of burnout and its impact on physicians as well as the patient they care for.