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Cited by 313Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnoutCoaching Methods and ImpactStress and Burnout Research

Effect of a Professional Coaching Intervention on the Well-being and Distress of Physicians: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

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Dyrbye, Liselotte N., Shanafelt, Tait D., Gill, Priscilla R., Satele, Daniel V., West, Colin P.·2019·JAMA Internal Medicine
DOI 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2425PMC PMC6686971
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Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Burnout symptoms among physicians are common and have potentially serious ramifications for physicians and their patients. Randomized studies testing interventions to address burnout have been uncommon. OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of individualized coaching on the well-being of physicians. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A pilot randomized clinical trial involving 88 practicing physicians in the departments of medicine, family medicine, and pediatrics who volunteered for coaching was conducted between October 9, 2017, and March 27, 2018, at Mayo Clinic sites in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Statistical analysis was conducted from August 24, 2018, to March 25, 2019. INTERVENTIONS: A total of 6 coaching sessions facilitated by a professional coach. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Burnout, quality of life, resilience, job satisfaction, engagement, and meaning at work using established metrics. Analysis was performed on an intent-to-treat basis. RESULTS: Among the 88 physicians in the study (48 women and 40 men), after 6 months of professional coaching, emotional exhaustion decreased by a mean (SD) of 5.2 (8.7) points in the intervention group compared with an increase of 1.5 (7.7) points in the control group by the end of the study (P < .001). Absolute rates of high emotional exhaustion at 5 months decreased by 19.5% in the intervention group and increased by 9.8% in the control group (-29.3% [95% CI, -34.0% to -24.6%]) (P < .001). Absolute rates of overall burnout at 5 months also decreased by 17.1% in the intervention group and increased by 4.9% in the control group (-22.0% [95% CI, -25.2% to -18.7%]) (P < .001). Quality of life improved by a mean (SD) of 1.2 (2.5) points in the intervention group compared with 0.1 (1.7) points in the control group (1.1 points [95% CI, 0.04-2.1 points]) (P = .005), and resilience scores improved by a mean (SD) of 1.3 (5.2) points in the intervention group compared with 0.6 (4.0) points in the control group (0.7 points [95% CI, 0.0-3.0 points]) (P = .04). No statistically significant differences in depersonalization, job satisfaction, engagement, or meaning in work were observed. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Professional coaching may be an effective way to reduce emotional exhaustion and overall burnout as well as improve quality of life and resilience for some physicians. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03207581.

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Authors
Dyrbye, L. N., Shanafelt, T. D., Gill, P. R., Satele, D. V., & West, C. P.
Affiliations
  • Mayo Clinic (US)
  • Stanford Medicine (US)
Corresponding author
Dyrbye, Liselotte N.
ORCID
Venue
JAMA Internal Medicine
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
2019-10-01
Volume
179
Issue
10
Pages
1406
ISSN
2168-6106 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2425
PMC
PMC6686971
OpenAlex
W2965178814
Cited by
313
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 37 · 2025: 53 · 2024: 60 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 39 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 2
FWCI
40.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Coaching Methods and Impact
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Stress and Burnout Research
Keywords
physician burnout, professional coaching, emotional exhaustion, quality of life, resilience, job satisfaction, engagement, meaning at work, physician well-being, distress, coaching interventions, burnout prevention, physician mental health

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