The impact of organisational settings on physician wellbeing.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this research is to show that the Swedish health care system has undergone major changes during the last decades, which have exerted strong influence on the operational freedom of physicians.


METHODS
This study consisted of 169 physicians in management positions, who answered a questionnaire assessing the relationship between their organizational settings and their perceived wellbeing. The organizational setting was defined as contact with top management, decision-making influence, well defined organization and whether the physician is acting as a leader. The perceived wellbeing was defined as social climate, work related exhaustion, work satisfaction, influence, development ability and supportive leadership.


RESULTS
According to the results, organizational support improves work satisfaction and mental energy, and decreases work related exhaustion among physicians. This all leads to decreasing turnover rate among physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
These results point to the importance of maintaining a positive and supportive atmosphere for physicians in their work environment in order to encourage physicians to remain and take on management positions in the health care system. Furthermore enhancing physician influence over decision making processes is important to counteract work-related exhaustion and it might also contribute to a more efficient organization.
von Vultée
Pia Jansson
PJ
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Unit for Social Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. pia.vultee@pubcare.uu.se
Axelsson
Runo
R
Arnetz
Bengt
B
D000328:Adult; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D005260:Female; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D006801:Humans; D007325:Institutional Practice; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D008486:Physician Executives / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*