Examining Burnout Experiences among Employees in Health Systems

Objective: Burnout is a prevalent issue in healthcare. However, investigations into experiences of burnout among mainly administrative health systems’ personnel have not been conducted. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate burnout experiences among health systems’ personnel in administrative positions who do not medically treat patients as part of their daily work.

Methodology: This is a mixed-methods study measuring burnout using an 18-question burnout scale and by conducting 23 semi-structured interviews. Mean responses and a correlation analysis of the survey results were conducted. Interview transcripts were coded using ATLAS.ti 22.

Findings: The quantitative results show low burnout scores. However, the interviews show that all administrative personnel had experienced burnout or stress, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic, workload, and volatility drove burnout. Recognizing employees, promoting a strong work/life balance, and self-care practices may alleviate burnout.

Implications: Similar to nurses and physicians, administrative health systems’ personnel are susceptible to burnout. Therefore, health systems’ leaders should cultivate strategies to mitigate and prevent burnout among administrative personnel. Additionally, this study uses interviews to obtain a context for survey results, unlike previous studies. Leaders should recognize not only clinicians but also administrative employees for their work to alleviate burnout. Additionally, leaders should promote work/life balance, especially among remote workers and attempt to reduce workload to mitigate burnout.

Originality: This research is unique because it focuses on experiences of burnout among health systems’ employees who do not treat patients as part of their daily work. Previous studies have focused on mainly nurses and physicians. However, this study shows that non-patient-facing health systems’ employees can also suffer from burnout.