Poster #105 - How Physician Burnout Shapes Perceptions of Care Quality and Safety: The Moderating Role of Political Ideology

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

Physician burnout is a growing threat to U.S. health system performance, with far‑reaching implications for patient experience, trust, and perceptions of care quality. As burnout rates continue to rise, understanding how the public interprets burnout‑related behaviors and whether these interpretations differ across ideological groups is essential for designing effective workforce, communication, and patient‑facing policies. Public perceptions shape not only satisfaction but also willingness to seek care, making this an important public health and workforce development concern.This study examines how physician burnout influences public perceptions of care quality, safety, and satisfaction, and whether political ideology moderates these relationships. Using quantitative data from a vignette‑based experiment with 487 U.S. adults, participants were randomly assigned to evaluate a physician displaying either burnout or non‑burnout behaviors. The vignette design allowed for controlled manipulation of behavioral cues commonly associated with burnout, such as reduced attentiveness, emotional exhaustion, and diminished communication quality. Adjusted ordinal logistic regression models revealed substantial differences in public evaluations. Respondents rated non‑burnout physicians dramatically more favorably, with 85 times higher odds of excellent quality ratings (aOR=85.35, 95% CI[47.12,154.63]), 29 times higher odds of high safety perceptions (aOR=28.89, 95% CI[16.49,50.62]), and 69 times higher odds of maximum satisfaction (aOR=68.63, 95% CI[36.81,127.96]) (p<0.001). Communication quality partially mitigated these negative effects across all outcomes (p<0.01), suggesting that strong interpersonal skills may buffer the perceptual consequences of burnout. Demographic characteristics showed no significant associations.Political ideology moderated satisfaction responses (p<0.05). Conservatives exhibited weaker dissatisfaction reactions to burnout (aOR=0.39) compared to liberals, aligning with Moral Foundations Theory, which posits that ideological groups prioritize different moral values (e.g., authority vs. care). These findings highlight that while burnout universally undermines perceptions of care, ideological differences shape how strongly individuals react to burnout‑related behaviors.Policy implications include the need for structural reforms to reduce administrative burden, improve EHR usability, and strengthen workforce well‑being. Standardized communication training emphasizing empathy, active listening, and patient‑centered engagement may also help mitigate negative perceptions. Limitations include the cross‑sectional, vignette‑based design. Future research should explore mechanisms linking burnout to patient perceptions and test interventions aimed at improving provider well‑being and patient‑provider interactions.

Author

• Sarah Adi Paul, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
  Presenting Author