Family Physician Motivation and Well-Being in the Digital Era

Adam Neufeld; Oksana Babenko; Vishal Bhella

doi:10.1370/afm.3031

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RE: Family Physician Motivation and Well-Being in the Digital Era
Maggie S Stasiak, Kaitlyn R Lumbard, Nora R Schenk and Lorraine S Wallace

Published on: 25 February 2024
RE: positive and negative Review Points
Jaisingh Rajput and Prajakta Rajput

Published on: 31 December 2023

Published on: (25 February 2024)
Page navigation anchor for RE: Family Physician Motivation and Well-Being in the Digital Era
RE: Family Physician Motivation and Well-Being in the Digital Era
Maggie S Stasiak, Medical Student, The Ohio State University
Other Contributors:
Kaitlyn R Lumbard, Medical Student

Nora R Schenk, Medical Student

Lorraine S Wallace, Associate Professor - College of Medicine
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, family physicians transitioned to virtual platforms for patient care. Given that this was a new care platform, impacts on workplace motivations and well-being were unknown. While virtual care became a convenience and necessity, it also introduced many challenges such as loss of human contact and interaction between physicians and patients.
Furthermore, many concerns arise when it comes to compensation and how virtual care may decrease continuity of care. This study suggests that virtual care and controlled motivation are associated with low well-being and workplace frustrations. Motivations toward using virtual care became less self-determined, which led to poor well-being. Recognizing the struggles faced, could family physicians have the option to choose if they would want to use virtual and/or in-person care? Can they provide input as to which patients they would want to see in a virtual versus in-person format? What plans are being developed to ensure the mental health issues among family physicians are being addressed and that they are getting care needed to provide quality care for their patients? How do future physicians, such as medical students, feel about virtual care? Future studies may benefit from collecting data from a larger and more diverse groups of family physicians. Further research should be conducted to explore how implementing virtual care and ensuring family physicians’ well-being can be best achieved.
...Show More

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, family physicians transitioned to virtual platforms for patient care. Given that this was a new care platform, impacts on workplace motivations and well-being were unknown. While virtual care became a convenience and necessity, it also introduced many challenges such as loss of human contact and interaction between physicians and patients.
Furthermore, many concerns arise when it comes to compensation and how virtual care may decrease continuity of care. This study suggests that virtual care and controlled motivation are associated with low well-being and workplace frustrations. Motivations toward using virtual care became less self-determined, which led to poor well-being. Recognizing the struggles faced, could family physicians have the option to choose if they would want to use virtual and/or in-person care? Can they provide input as to which patients they would want to see in a virtual versus in-person format? What plans are being developed to ensure the mental health issues among family physicians are being addressed and that they are getting care needed to provide quality care for their patients? How do future physicians, such as medical students, feel about virtual care? Future studies may benefit from collecting data from a larger and more diverse groups of family physicians. Further research should be conducted to explore how implementing virtual care and ensuring family physicians’ well-being can be best achieved.
Show Less

Competing Interests: None declared.
Published on: (31 December 2023)
Page navigation anchor for RE: positive and negative Review Points
RE: positive and negative Review Points
Jaisingh Rajput, Family Medicine physician MD, ABFM
Other Contributors:
Prajakta Rajput, Family Physician MD.
Positive Review Points:

1.The article addresses a crucial and contemporary issue – the impact of the rapid shift to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic on family physicians' workplace motivation. This relevance adds value to the existing literature and contributes to understanding the evolving landscape of healthcare.

2. The use of self-determination theory provides a solid theoretical foundation for the study, offering a lens to examine family physicians' motivation towards virtual care. This theoretical approach enhances the depth of the analysis and facilitates a more nuanced understanding of the relationships explored.

3. The conclusions drawn from the study offer actionable insights for optimizing the integration of virtual care into standard practice and supporting family physician well-being. The emphasis on the role of basic psychological needs in mediating the relationship between motivation and well-being provides practical considerations for healthcare organizations.

Negative Review Points

1. The study focuses specifically on family physicians in Alberta, Canada, which may limit the generalizability of its findings to a broader population. Consideration of regional variations, healthcare system structures, and cultural differences could strengthen the external validity of the study.

2 While the use of quantitative data and analyses is valuable, a more in-depth exploration of qualitative aspects, such as...
Show More

Positive Review Points:

1.The article addresses a crucial and contemporary issue – the impact of the rapid shift to virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic on family physicians' workplace motivation. This relevance adds value to the existing literature and contributes to understanding the evolving landscape of healthcare.

2. The use of self-determination theory provides a solid theoretical foundation for the study, offering a lens to examine family physicians' motivation towards virtual care. This theoretical approach enhances the depth of the analysis and facilitates a more nuanced understanding of the relationships explored.

3. The conclusions drawn from the study offer actionable insights for optimizing the integration of virtual care into standard practice and supporting family physician well-being. The emphasis on the role of basic psychological needs in mediating the relationship between motivation and well-being provides practical considerations for healthcare organizations.

Negative Review Points

1. The study focuses specifically on family physicians in Alberta, Canada, which may limit the generalizability of its findings to a broader population. Consideration of regional variations, healthcare system structures, and cultural differences could strengthen the external validity of the study.

2 While the use of quantitative data and analyses is valuable, a more in-depth exploration of qualitative aspects, such as family physicians' experiences and perceptions of virtual care, could enrich the study. A mixed-methods approach might provide a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

3. The conclusions seem to dichotomize motivation into autonomous and controlled, which may oversimplify the complex nature of physician motivation. A more nuanced exploration of the multifaceted factors influencing motivation could enhance the depth of the study's insights.
Show Less

Competing Interests: None declared.