Phoenix Newsletter - October 2025 President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change Read President’s Message: Enduring Commitments in a Time of Change
Home Research Research Library Associations Between Burnout and Practice Organization in Family Physicians Associations Between Burnout and Practice Organization in Family Physicians 2019 Author(s) Creager, Jessica, Coutinho, Anastasia J, and Peterson, Lars E Topic(s) Role of Primary Care, and Achieving Health System Goals Keyword(s) Practice Organization / Ownership, and Visiting Scholar/Fellow Volume Annals of Family Medicine Source Annals of Family Medicine PURPOSE Burnout has been reported to be as high as 63% among family physicians and has negative effects on physicians, patients, and the medical system. There are likely structural causes of burnout, but little is known about the relationship between practice organization and burnout. Our objective was to study this association in family physicians. METHODS This cross-sectional study uses secondary data supplied by practicing physicians from the 2017 American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Family Medicine Certification examination registration questionnaire, a mandatory component of registration, yielding a 100% response rate. Burnout was measured as a positive response to either of 2 validated questions measuring emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Practice environment was measured with questions on work stressors and teamwork. Logistic regression determined independent associations between burnout and individual and practice characteristics. RESULTS Of the 1,437 physicians included, the burnout rate was 43.7%; 33.7% worked in hospital-owned practices and 65.5% reported no ownership stake in their practice. Controlling for personal characteristics and practice organization, being in a hospital-owned practice (odds ratio (OR) = 1.68; 95% CI, 1.14-2.46) and being a partial owner (OR =1.67; 95% CI, 1.13-2.46) were positively associated with burnout. When also controlling for practice environment, no practice organization variable remained associated with burnout. CONCLUSION Burnout in family physicians should not be attributed solely to practice organization. No single practice type or ownership status was independently associated with burnout, which indicates that any practice can attempt to mitigate burnout. ABFM Research Read all 2016 Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients Go to Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients 2025 The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States Go to The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States 2014 Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce. Go to Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce. 2015 Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use? Go to Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use?
Author(s) Creager, Jessica, Coutinho, Anastasia J, and Peterson, Lars E Topic(s) Role of Primary Care, and Achieving Health System Goals Keyword(s) Practice Organization / Ownership, and Visiting Scholar/Fellow Volume Annals of Family Medicine Source Annals of Family Medicine
ABFM Research Read all 2016 Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients Go to Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients 2025 The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States Go to The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States 2014 Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce. Go to Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce. 2015 Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use? Go to Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use?
2016 Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients Go to Community Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of the Community While Caring for Patients
2025 The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States Go to The General Public Vastly Overestimates Primary Care Spending in the United States
2014 Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce. Go to Colocating Behavioral Health and Primary Care and the Prospects for an Integrated Workforce.
2015 Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use? Go to Do family physicians electronic health records support meaningful use?