Physician burnout in ophthalmology: a New Zealand survey

BACKGROUND: Burnout is a chronic syndrome that compromises physician wellbeing and patient care. This study aimed to quantify burnout among New Zealand ophthalmologists and identify key demographic and practice-related factors associated with increased risk, as well as to assess lifetime burnout experiences, time off taken and barriers to seeking help. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 171 New Zealand ophthalmologists used a modified Mini Z 2.0 Burnout Survey to assess workplace satisfaction, stress and burnout, while additional questions gathered demographic and practice characteristics, as well as retrospective data on burnout frequency, time off taken, help sought and perceived barriers. RESULTS: Out of 161 delivered surveys, 84 responses were received (52% response rate). Overall burnout was 20%, with a significantly higher rate in the public sector (p