University of Twente Student Theses
The Influence of Covid-19 on Physician Well-being Through Sudden Changes in Organizational Routines
Sander, BSc. L.A. (2021) The Influence of Covid-19 on Physician Well-being Through Sudden Changes in Organizational Routines.
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| Abstract: | This research aims to decrease the knowledge gap regarding physician well-being, especially now that the crisis of Covid-19 has put physicians under even greater pressure than ever before. The decrease of the existing knowledge gap is achieved by answering the research question of how sudden changes in organizational routines, caused by Covid-19, affect physician well-being. This study can be categorized as an in-depth document study making use of a pre-established dataset which included the carefully administrated changes in organizational routines as indicated by 857 physicians ranging over 42 different medical specializations. The answers from physicians to one question from both the IFMS and Groepsmonitor Zelfevaluatie, two surveys developed by the Federation Medical Specialists (FMS), formed the pre-established dataset. The findings of this research consist out of two different sections. The first section elaborates on seven general factors that were identified as impacting the well-being of physicians regardless of the presence of Covid-19. These included personal development, private circumstances, extra-curricular tasks, quality patient care, team dynamics, management affinity, and departmental connections. The second section of this research reveals the six changes in organizational routines, as a result of Covid-19, which consequently impacted physician well-being. These six organizational routine changes included from hospital to home office, digital patient communication, rescheduling due to understaffing, scaling down regular care to assist IC, extra-curricular tasks, and stagnation of departmental developments/projects. Overall, it was found that an actual change in an organizational routine is dependent upon the category of physicians, the subsequent influence on hedonic and/or eudaimonic well-being differs per routine, and this influence can be either negative, positive, or both. The pre-established dataset asked for the interpretation of the answers given, which limited us in fully reaching the performative aspect of the routine. Future research should incorporate this performative aspect more extensively by studying the altering organizational routines, due to Covid-19, of physicians in real-life. Furthermore, data obtained before September 2020 was left out due to confidential matters. Incorporation of this data in future research can be valuable in analyzing the impact of different waves of Covid-19. Physicians, the function of HRM, and various layers of management can benefit from the practical insights presented by this study. The results can raise a feeling of unitedness among physicians which may eventually facilitate an open culture when it comes to physician well-being. HR can revise organizational HR policies by paying more attention to the very nature of the medical profession, thus incorporating the micro-level perspective focusing on organizational routines as presented in this research. And finally, management can benefit as they are in the ultimate position to make physician well-being part of the organizational agenda. Besides, management and physicians should also better collaborate to align company interest and patient interest, which are now mostly perceived as two separate objectives. The originality of this research lies in the incorporation of Covid-19 when analyzing physician well-being, while also making use of the broadest definition of well-being that comprises both the hedonic and eudaimonic aspect. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | Business Administration MSc (60644) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/88573 |
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