Reducing Burnout Among VA PCPs Using Evidence-Based Quality Improvement
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System
Summary
Burnout is highly prevalent among VA primary care providers and staff, impairing productivity and retention, as well as safety, quality, and patient experience. In this pilot trial, the investigators will facilitate the development of burnout reduction interventions using an evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) approach, and then evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a pilot EBQI-facilitated burnout reduction intervention in a modified stepped wedge design in one VA region.
Description
Burnout, a long-term psychological response to chronic workplace stress, is highly prevalent among providers and staff in VA primary care. Healthcare worker (HCW) burnout is not only detrimental to affected individuals, but also to the organizations that they work in. High rates of HCW burnout are linked to increased medical errors, worse quality of care, and worse patient experience. Burned out HCWs also work fewer hours and are more likely to leave their organization. Organizational interventions to reduce burnout are more effective than individual interventions, but no single organizational…
Eligibility
- Age range
- Not specified
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Site Inclusion Criteria: * 5 primary care clinics (2 VA Medical Centers \[VAMCs\] and 3 community-based outpatient clinics \[CBOCs\]) in 2 VA healthcare systems in 1 VA Veterans Integrated Service Network Provider and Staff Inclusion Criteria: * Primary care providers, registered nurses, clinical associates (e.g., licensed vocational or practical nurses), or administrative associates (e.g., clerks) on regular Patient-Aligned Care Team (PACT) teamlets at a study site. Site Exclusion Criteria: * All other VAMCs and CBOCs. Provider and Staff Exclusion Criteria: * Other primary care profess…
Interventions
- BehavioralEvidence-based quality improvement (EBQI)
Evidence-based quality improvement (EBQI) is a multi-level implementation strategy that aids in the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions to reduce burnout. Preliminary survey, interview, and systematic review data on burnout, turnover intent, burnout drivers, and burnout interventions will be presented to an expert panel for each intervention site. These panels will collectively decide on the top categories of burnout drivers to target and burnout interventions to implement. These top drivers and intervention categories will be presented to site-level providers and staff and proposals will be solicited for quality improvement (QI) interventions to reduce burnout that reflect these categories and address these drivers. The expert panels will then choose one or more of these QI interventions to implement and evaluate at each intervention site.
Locations (5)
- Bakersfield VA Clinic, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemBakersfield, California
- Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center, VA Long Beach Healthcare SystemLong Beach, California
- West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemLos Angeles, California
- Sepulveda VA Medical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemNorth Hills, California
- Santa Maria VA Clinic, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare SystemSanta Maria, California