News: A quarter of physicians report experiencing mistreatment at work

A survey of physicians found that a significant portion experienced mistreatment in the prior year, with patients and visitors the most common source of abuse, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open Network.

Nearly 1,400 physicians were surveyed between September and October 2020. The study features several key data points:

• 23.4% of physicians reported that they had experienced mistreatment in the prior year
• Patients and visitors were the most common perpetrators of mistreatment, with 16.6% of physicians reporting mistreatment by patients and visitors
• Other physicians were the second most common perpetrators of mistreatment, with 7.1% of respondents reporting mistreatment by physicians
• Female physicians were more than twice as likely to report mistreatment than male physicians (31% versus 15%)
• The most common forms of mistreatment were verbal abuse (reported by 21.5% of physicians), sexual harassment (5.4%), and physical intimidation or abuse (5.2%)
• On a scale of 1 to 10, experiencing any type of workplace mistreatment was linked to a 1.13-point increase in burnout
• On a scale of 1 to 10, experiencing any type of mistreatment was linked to a 0.99-point drop in professional fulfillment
• Lower perception that protective workplace systems were in place was linked to higher levels of burnout and lower levels of professional fulfillment
• Workplace mistreatment was linked to 129% higher odds of moderate or greater intent to leave employment within two years

“This survey study found that mistreatment was common among physicians, varied by gender, and was associated with occupational distress. Patients and visitors were the most frequent source, and perceptions of protective workplace systems were associated with better occupational well-being,” the study’s co-authors wrote. “These findings suggest that healthcare organizations should prioritize reducing workplace mistreatment.”

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in HealthLeaders. To read the full research article, click here.