National Survey of US academic anesthesiology chairs on clinician wellness.
OBJECTIVE
The prevalence of anesthesiology department wellness programs is unknown. A database of wellness programs is needed as a resource for departments attempting to respond to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Anesthesiology Milestones Project. The purpose of this study was to survey academic anesthesiology chairs on wellness issues, characterize initiatives, and establish wellness contacts for a Wellness Initiative Database (WID).


METHODS
An Internet-based survey instrument was distributed to academic anesthesiology department chairs in the United States.


METHODS
On-line.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Analysis for continuous variables used standard means, modes, and averages for individual responses; 95% confidence intervals for proportions were calculated by Wilson's method.


RESULTS
Seventy-five (56.4%) responses (of a potential 133 programs) were obtained. Forty-one (of 71 responders; 57.8%) expressed interest in participating in a WID, and 33 (44%) provided contact information. Most (74.7%) had recently referred staff for counseling or wellness resources, yet many (79.5% and 67.1%, respectively) had never surveyed their department's interest in wellness resources. Thirty-four percent had a wellness resources repository. Of 22 wellness topics, 8 garnered >60% strong interest from respondents: Addiction Counseling, Sleep Hygiene, Peer Support Program, Stress Management, Conflict Management, Burnout Counseling, Time Management, and Dealing with Adverse Events Training. There was a statistically significant difference in interest between those willing to participate or not in the WID across most topics but no significant difference based on need for recent staff referral.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of chairs needed to recently refer a department member to wellness resources or counseling. Most were interested in participating in a WID, whereas a minority had gauged staff interest in wellness topics or had a wellness resource repository. Highest interest was in topics most related to function as an anesthesiologist. Those willing to participate in the database had statistically significant differences in interest across most wellness topics.
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. Electronic address: amy.vinson@childrens.harvard.edu.
Amy E
AE
Vinson
Departments of Anesthesia and Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115. Electronic address: David.Zurakowski@childrens.harvard.edu.
David
D
Zurakowski
Department of Anesthesiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 251 E Huron St, F5-704, Chicago, IL 60611. Electronic address: g-randel@northwestern.edu.
Gail I
GI
Randel
Department of Anesthesiology, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, 2200 N Squirrel Rd, Rochester, MI 48309. Electronic address: 2kschlecht@comcast.net.
Kathy D
KD
Schlecht
D000046:Academic Medical Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000072080:Anesthesiologists; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D003376:Counseling; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
Burnout, professional; Education, medical, graduate; Surveys and questionnaires; Wellness programs