Burnout and medical errors are the most prevalent issues affecting health and life outcomes among healthcare professionals.
Objective
This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between burnout and medical errors in healthcare workers in Japan.
Methods
We conducted a prospective cohort study involving 539 healthcare workers from January 2017 to January 2018. Burnout was evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS), which included exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy dimensions. Medical errors during the previous year were measured by self-assessment at follow-up. Multivariate modified Poisson regressions estimated the association between baseline burnout and follow-up medical errors.
Results
In the age and sex-adjusted model, overall burnout was significantly associated with medical errors (p = 0.008). Participants with high burnout levels exhibited a greater risk of medical errors than those with low or moderate levels (RR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.35). Exhaustion and cynicism correlated significantly with medical errors (p < 0.05). High or moderate levels of exhaustion and cynicism were associated with elevated risks of medical errors (RR = 1.31 [95% CI: 1.10–1.55]; 1.25 [1.02–1.53]), (RR = 1.31 [95% CI: 1.13–1.53]; 1.20 [1.03–1.41]), compared to low-level counterparts, respectively.
Conclusion
Healthcare workers who experience burnout may be at an increased risk for medical errors.
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