Characterizing Wellness Leadership in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments in the United States. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2023 Oct 01;117(2S):e503-e504
Date
10/03/2023Pubmed ID
37785580DOI
10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.06.1751Abstract
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): Burnout is prevalent in radiation oncology (RO), with 56% of respondents in a 2020 survey reporting symptoms of burnout. This has led to an increased effort to promote physician wellness via formal wellness-directed initiatives in recent years. However, little is known about the specifics of wellness activities and their impact. We aim to characterize current wellness leadership positions and efforts within academic RO departments.
MATERIALS/METHODS: A total of 120 US academic RO department chairs were contacted to inquire whether they had a departmental wellness leader, with a request for leader contact information, if applicable. Wellness leaders were invited to complete an anonymous survey in January and February 2023 via a survey platform. Questions assessed leader demographics, role structure, resources, current initiatives, and impacts to date. Descriptive statistics and summaries of free text responses are reported.
RESULTS: Seventy-one chairs (59%) responded, among which 43 (61%) reported having departmental wellness leaders. On interim analysis, 11 (26%) responded to the survey. 82% were female and 73% were physician faculty. Leaders spanned career stages, and respondent ages ranged from 32-66. Wellness leaders were commonly in formal departmental committees (n = 4) or implemented hospital initiatives without independent departmental programming (n = 5). Committees had all been started since 2020. 5 respondents stated departmental wellness leadership was required by their institution. Some leaders were provided with administrative support (n = 4) and/or departmental program funding (n = 4), however only 1 had protected time for wellness work. Challenges included limited bandwidth (n = 7), lack of departmental interest (n = 4), and limited funding (n = 4). The most commonly completed initiatives include programming and education (n = 4) and improved support for caregivers (n = 3). No departments had hired physician coaches or created a peer support network. Of 14 initiatives, departments had, on average, implemented 2. 36% and 27% of respondents agree that because of wellness initiatives the department is more aware of the importance of wellness and wellness-promoting strategies, respectively. Only 9% and 18% felt initiatives changed a culture of constant availability and encouraged use of full PTO and limiting work off hours, respectively. Leaders highlight the importance of a dedicated individual to tangibly implement changes and the unique opportunity of someone within RO to understand the specific challenges faced by those in our field.
CONCLUSION: Wellness leadership roles exist in many RO departments. However, these roles are new and evolving, with a limited number of fully implemented initiatives to date. Longitudinal data collection and follow-up will help establish the impact of these roles on bringing positive change to departments. Full results will be presented at ASTRO 23.
