Turning the tide: a quasi-experimental study on a coaching intervention to reduce burn-out symptoms and foster personal resources among medical residents and specialists in the Netherlands

Abstract

ObjectivesPhysician burn-out is increasing, starting already among residents. The consequences of burn-out are not limited to physicians’ well-being, they also pose a threat to patient care and safety. This study investigated the effectiveness of a professional coaching intervention to reduce burn-out symptoms and foster personal resources in residents and specialists.DesignIn a controlled field experiment, medical residents and specialists received six coaching sessions, while a control group did not undergo any treatment. The authors assessed burn-out symptoms of exhaustion and cynicism, the personal resources psychological capital, psychological flexibility and self-compassion, as well as job demands and job resources with validated questionnaires (January 2017 until August 2018). The authors conducted repeated measures analyses of variance procedures to examine changes over time for the intervention and the control group.SettingFour academic hospitals in the Netherlands.ParticipantsA final sample of 57 residents and specialists volunteered in an individual coaching programme. A control group of 57 physicians did not undergo any treatment.InterventionCoaching was provided by professional coaches during a period of approximately 10 months aiming at personal development and growth.ResultsThe coaching group (response rate 68%, 57 physicians, 47 women) reported a reduction in burn-out symptoms and an increase in personal resources after the coaching intervention, while no such changes occurred in the control group (response rate 35%, 42 women), as indicated by significant time × group interactions, all p<0.01. Specifically, physicians increased their psychological capital (ηp2=0.139), their self-compassion (ηp2=0.083), and reported significantly less exhaustion (ηp2=0.126), the main component of the burn-out syndrome.ConclusionThis study suggests that individual coaching is a promising route to reduce burn-out symptoms in both residents and specialists. Moreover, it strengthens personal resources that play a crucial role in the prevention of burn-out.

Effect of a Novel Online Group-Coaching Program to Reduce Burnout in Female Resident Physicians

“…Our findings are consistent with prior coaching studies that showed a positive effect in some but not all aspects of physician well-being 17 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 37 , 38 and that support the theory that more than 1 intervention may be necessary to target multiple facets of well-being. A randomized clinical trial of 6 telephone coaching sessions for primary care physicians decreased burnout and increased job satisfaction but did not reduce stress or turnover intention or increase job efficacy.…”

“… 38 In a study of medical residents in the Netherlands, 6 face-to-face coaching sessions over 10 months resulted in improved personal resources and reduced burnout symptoms, yet no changes were observed in work engagement or psychological flexibility. 24 Although previous studies show that group coaching supports physicians’ professional identity formation and healthy work-life integration, 39 , 40 these studies did not find an association between group coaching and personal well-being factors, including burnout. The group coaching in these studies had prescriptive content with preselected topics (eg, conflict management) 40 and a different delivery format (ie, 3 full-day sessions and 5 two-hour sessions over 4 months).…”

“… 17 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 However, most studies rely on resource-intensive interventions and use variably trained coaches and in-person sessions that are challenging to incorporate and scale within graduate medical education. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 We posited that a 6-month, web-based group-coaching program led by certified physician coaches would decrease burnout among resident physicians. Here, we describe the results from a pilot randomized clinical trial of our coaching program, Better Together Physician Coaching (hereineafter referred to as Better Together).…”

Identifying Return to Work Self-Efficacy Trajectories in Employees with Mental Health Problems

“…For instance, it may be important to continue coaching even after employees have returned to work. To strengthen work-related self-efficacy, by practicing effective coping skills in the workplace, may benefit sustainable RTW in the long term [ 18 , 46 , 47 ].…”

Reducing clinician inefficiency and restoring meaning in practice: A professional coaching approach for family medicine residents

“…Schneider et al 17 provided qualitative analysis of a pilot program showing improved well-being following coaching in a GME setting. Similarly, Solms et al 18 provided evidence of reduced burnout for use with resident physicians in a non-randomized control study. There is also supportive evidence for implementation of coaching methodologies for use by faculty advisors and mentors to improve resident well-being in their respective GME programs.…”