The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) conducts a national survey every three to four years to monitor health and wellness trends among physicians in Canada. In a report released last week, the CMA found that family physicians reported a higher rate of burnout than other medical or surgical specialists.
The following is a synopsis of the research related to family physicians, prepared by our colleagues at the College of Family Physicians of Canada:
- Compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic, 61% of family physicians self-reported worse mental health.
- Family physicians are the most likely to select increased workload/lack of work-life integration (62%) as the largest factor negatively affecting their mental health compared to other medical (56%) and surgical (44%) specialists.
Factors negatively affecting family physicians’ mental health
Increased workload/lack of work–life integration ………………62%
Rapidly changing policies/processes …………………………………59%
Longer time with social restrictions/isolation ……………………54%
Continued uncertainty about the future……………………………52%
Long waitlists …………………………………………………………………41%
Lack of human resources ………………………………………………..36%
Family issues and obligations ………………………………………….35%
Adjustment to virtual care ………………………………………………35%
- One in five family physicians (21%) reported feeling morally distressed very often or always since the onset of the pandemic. (Defined as “psychological stress that results from events that go against one’s values and moral beliefs,” moral distress occurs “when one feels unable to take what they believe to be an ethically appropriate or right course of action because of institutionalized obstacles.”)
- Over half (52%) of family physicians reported being likely to reduce or modify their clinical hours. This was higher than other medical specialists (44%) and surgical specialists (49%).
- Family physicians cited “Lack of time” and “heavy workload and/or stressful work environment” most often as barriers to maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g. being physically active, eating healthily, getting adequate sleep). Only 12% reported experiencing no barriers to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- More than half (56%) of family physicians did not access wellness supports in the past five years. Main reasons for physicians not seeking wellness supports include having no time, believing the situation is not severe enough, being ashamed to seek help, and concerns about confidentiality. Respondents aged 54 years and under were more likely to have accessed wellness supports in the past five years (60%) than those 55 years and over (43%).
- Almost half (48%) of family physicians scored high on the Professional Consequences Index, an indication of fear of professional consequences associated with seeking wellness support. This was lower than other medical (55%) and surgical (53%) specialists, and medical residents (52%).
- Less than 1 in 5 family physicians (18%) scored high on the Professional Fulfillment Index. This was lower than other medical (21%) and surgical (24%) specialists, but higher than medical residents (14%).
- When it comes to job satisfaction and job-related stress, more than half of family physicians…
- are satisfied with their current job or training position (57%)
- agree their professional values align with those of their department/academic leaders (56%)
- feel a great deal of stress because of their job or training position (59%)
- Family physicians spend more time on administrative tasks and less time on patient care compared to other medical and surgical specialists, but fewer total hours worked. Medical residents work the greatest number of overall hours and reported the greatest amount of time providing patient care.
| Patient Care | Admin Tasks | Other Duties | Ave. # hrs worked | |
| Family physicians | 36.1 | 10.9 | 4.9 | 51.8 |
| Other medical specialists | 36.3 | 8.8 | 8.3 | 53.4 |
| Surgical specialists | 46.3 | 8.7 | 6.5 | 61.6 |
| Medical residents | 48.0 | 10.2 | 7.8 | 65.9 |
- Almost half of family physicians (45%) feel they have poor or marginal control over their workload and over half (52%) are dissatisfied with their work-life integration.
- Nearly 6 in 10 family physicians (57%) are dissatisfied with efficiency and resources at work. This includes things like use of scribes, availability of support staff, efficiency/use of EHR, appointment system, and ordering systems.
- More than 6 in 10 family physicians (61%) rated their time spent on EMR at home as moderately high or excessive. This was significantly more than other medical (40%) and surgical (39%) specialists.
- More than 1 in 8 family physicians (12%) experience intimidation, bullying, harassment and/or microaggressions at least once a week. This was less than that reported by other medical (16%) and surgical (24%) specialists. Of all respondents, women were significantly more likely than men (17% vs. 11%) to experience this type of violence in the workplace.
Read more: A profession under pressure: results from the CMA’s 2021 National Physician Health Survey | CMA
