Effects of a training program in medical hypnosis on burnout in anesthesiologists and other healthcare providers: A survey study

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the participation to a medical hypnosis training program reduces the levels of burnout in healthcare providers.

Design: Survey study.

Settings: Study conducted from 2014 to 2018 using the MBI-HSS questionnaire assessing three dimensions of burnout: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA).

Participants: Healthcare providers in particular anesthesiologists participating to a one-year medical hypnosis training program.

Intervention: All participants were asked to fill the MBI-HSS on the first day before the training program had begun, then on the last day of the program once the entire training was completed.

Primary and secondary outcome measures: The EE, DP and PA scores and their grade (high, average and low) were compared before and after training and between physicians and caregivers.

Results: In total, 1850 persons participated to the training sessions, with 1366 participants enrolled before the first session (74%) and 1407 (76%) after the fourth. On the 1366 persons enrolled before training, 1139 (83%) completed the survey and on the 1407 enrolled after training, 1194 (85%) completed the survey. The scores were significantly smaller after training for EE and DP and significantly greater for PA. Before training, EE was significantly greater in physicians than in caregivers as well as DP, with no difference for PA. After training, DP was significantly greater in physicians than in caregivers and PA was smaller, with no difference for EE. Before training, there was high rates of burnout in both healthcare providers but there was a significant trend to smaller rates of burnout after training.

Conclusions: This study shows that healthcare providers who participated to a medical hypnosis training program presented improvements in the three dimensions of burnout. Further study is required to investigate and recommend this type of continuous medical education to improve professional satisfaction and wellbeing in healthcare providers.

Keywords: Anesthesiologists; Burnout; Education; Health personnel; Hypnosis; Professional.