Abstract
Background
Surgical physicians are considered a high-risk group for occupational burnout due to intensive workloads, time-critical decision-making, and frequent exposure to traumatic clinical situations. Burnout among physicians has important public health implications, including reduced quality of care, patient safety risks, workforce attrition, and increased healthcare system costs. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout among surgical physicians and examine its associations with workload and work organisation factors in Lithuania.
Methods
A cross-sectional anonymous survey was conducted between September and December 2023 among 121 surgical physicians working in a Lithuanian university hospital (response rate 72.3%). Burnout was assessed using the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Associations between burnout dimensions and work-related factors were analysed using Spearman correlation coefficients (α = 0.05).
Results
Overall occupational burnout was identified in 53.3% of respondents. Work-related burnout was reported by 51.2%, personal burnout by 30.6%, and patient-related burnout by 20.0%. Higher burnout levels were significantly associated with greater overtime work (r = 0.280, p < 0.01) and performing work-related tasks at home (r = 0.328, p < 0.001). Greater satisfaction with work organisation was associated with lower levels of all three burnout dimensions and overall burnout (r=–0.306 to –0.473, p < 0.001). Burnout was not significantly associated with night work, passive on-call hours, or number of surgeries performed (p > 0.05).
Conclusions
More than half of surgical physicians experienced occupational burnout, primarily work-related. Organisational factors and workload play a significant role in burnout development. Interventions targeting workload management and improvements in work organisation may reduce burnout and strengthen physician wellbeing, contributing to improved healthcare quality and workforce sustainability.
Key messages
• Over half of surgical physicians in Lithuania experience occupational burnout, mainly work-related, affecting physician wellbeing and healthcare quality.
• Better work organisation and workload management may reduce burnout, improve physician wellbeing, and strengthen healthcare system sustainability.