Virtual Care Integration: Balancing Physician Well-Being

Abstract

Background and Objectives: According to self-determination theory (SDT), fulfillment of three basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—positively impacts people’s health and well-being. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, an accelerated adoption of virtual care practices coincided with a decline in the well-being of physicians. Taking into account the frequency of virtual care use, we examined the relationship between workplace need fulfillment and physician well-being. Methods: Using online survey methodology, in March through June 2022, we collected data from 156 family physicians (FPs) in Alberta, Canada. The survey contained scales that measured workplace need satisfaction and frustration, subjective well-being (physical, psychological, and relational), and frequency of virtual care use. We performed correlational and regression analyses of the data. Results: More frequent use of virtual care was associated with lower relatedness satisfaction among FPs. Controlling for the frequency of virtual care use, frustration of autonomy and competence needs negatively related to FPs’ physical well-being; frustration of competence and relatedness needs negatively related to their psychological and relational well-being. Conclusions: Findings from this study align with SDT and underscore the importance of supporting FPs’ basic psychological needs, while we work to integrate virtual care into clinical practice. In their day-to-day work, we encourage physicians to reflect on their own sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and consider how using virtual care aligns with these basic needs.