Original Research

Job characteristics, satisfaction, and burnout across hospitalist practice models†

  1. Keiki Hinami MD, MS1,‡,*,
  2. Chad T. Whelan MD2,
  3. Joseph A. Miller MS3,
  4. Robert J. Wolosin PhD4,
  5. Tosha B. Wetterneck MD, MS5,
  6. for the Society of Hospital Medicine Career Satisfaction Task Force

Article first published online: 23 JAN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/jhm.1907

Additional Information

How to Cite

Hinami, K., Whelan, C. T., Miller, J. A., Wolosin, R. J., Wetterneck, T. B. and for the Society of Hospital Medicine Career Satisfaction Task Force (2012), Job characteristics, satisfaction, and burnout across hospitalist practice models. J. Hosp. Med.. doi: 10.1002/jhm.1907

Author Information

  1. 1

    Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois

  2. 2

    Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

  3. 3

    Society of Hospital Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  4. 4

    Press Ganey Associates, South Bend, Indiana

  5. 5

    School of Medicine and Public Health, and the Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

  1. ‡

    Telephone: 312-926-0050; Fax: 312-926-4588

*Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 211 E Ontario St, 7-727, Chicago, IL 60611

  1. †

    Disclosure: This research was supported, in part, by funding from EmCare; HCA, Inc; In Compass Health; and Society of Hospital Medicine. Tosha B. Wetterneck, MD, was supported by K08-HS17014 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The authors have no relevant conflicts of interest to report.

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 23 JAN 2012
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 27 NOV 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 14 NOV 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 7 SEP 2011

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Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Nearly two-thirds of hospitals in the United States are served by hospitalist physicians. How hospitalist work patterns and job satisfaction vary across various practice models is unknown.

METHODS:

We administered the Hospitalist Worklife Survey to a randomized stratified sample of 3105 potential hospitalists and 662 hospitalist members of 3 multistate hospitalist companies. Details about respondents' hospitalist group characteristics, their work patterns, and satisfaction with 2 global and 11 domain measures were assessed. Factors influencing job satisfaction were also solicited. These factors, job characteristics, job satisfaction, and burnout were compared across predefined practice models.

RESULTS:

The adjusted response rate was 25.6%. Among the respondents, 44% were employed by a hospital, 15% by a multispecialty physician group, 14% by a multistate hospitalist group, 14% by a university or medical school, 12% by a local hospitalist group, and 2% by other. Hospitalists of local groups reported more clinical shifts per month, and hospitalists of local and multistate groups reported more billable encounters per shift compared to other practice models. Academic hospitalists reported fewer night shifts, fewer billable encounters per shift, more nonclinical work hours, and lower earnings compared to other practice models. Differences in clinical and nonclinical responsibilities, and differences in factors most important to job satisfaction, were noted across the 5 models. Despite these differences, levels of global job satisfaction and burnout were similar across the practice models.

CONCLUSIONS:

Work patterns, compensation, and hospitalists' priorities varied significantly across practice models. Overall job satisfaction and burnout were similar across models, despite these differences. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine

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