Factors identified with higher levels of career satisfaction of physicians in Andalusia, Spain

Abstract

The satisfaction of physicians is a worldwide issue linked with the quality of health services; their satisfaction needs to be studied from a multi-dimensional perspective, considering lower- and higher-order needs. The objectives of this study were to: i) measure the career satisfaction of physicians; ii) identify differences in the dimensions of career satisfaction; and iii) test factors that affect higher- and lower-order needs of satisfaction among physicians working in Andalusian hospitals (Spain). Forty-one percent of 299 eligible physicians participated in a study conducted in six selected hospitals. Physicians reported higher professional, inherent, and performance satisfaction than personal satisfaction. Foreign physicians reported higher levels of personal and performance satisfaction than local physicians, and those who received non-monetary incentives had higher professional and performance satisfaction. In conclusion, physicians in the selected Andalusian hospitals reported low levels of personal satisfaction. Non-monetary incentives were more relevant to influence their career satisfaction. Further investigations are recommended to study differences in the career satisfaction between foreign and local physicians.

A Multidimensional Questionnaire to Measure Career Satisfaction of Physicians: Validation of the Polish Version of the 4CornerSAT

“…These kinds of initiatives require valid and equivalent measurements of physicians' satisfaction across countries to contrast and compare findings. The 4CornerSAT is a multidimensional questionnaire that presents as an option to conduct international studies [14,[18][19][20][21]. In addition, we endorse the replication of our adaptation and validation methodology, which has demonstrated its effectiveness in two different contexts [15,19].…”

“…We are presenting a multidimensional questionnaire that has been adapted into Polish through a rigorous multistage process [19], and that has very good psychometric characteristics among physicians working in Polish hospitals. Moreover, the 4CornerSAT questionnaire is available in four different languages and countries [14,[18][19][20][21].…”

“…A 16-item questionnaire, known as the 4cornerSAT, focuses on the longitudinal concept of satisfaction with the career rather than on the transversal emphasis of the satisfaction with the job or current work [14,15]. This questionnaire to measure the career satisfaction of physicians has been used among multiple specialties and in different countries [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. In fact, the 4CornerSAT is helping in identifying that physicians appear to be consistently experiencing low levels of personal satisfaction across countries, a dimension that encompasses the lower order needs of physicians [14,18,20,21].…”

“…The 4CornerSAT questionnaire was developed in English and French [14] and subsequently adapted into Spanish [18]. The 4CornerSAT Spanish version was validated in Spain [18] and recently piloted in Colombia [20]. In Poland, this questionnaire was adapted in 2011 following a multiphase methodology [19].…”

Impact of payment methods on professional equity of physicians

“…Key sources of motivation for physicians are professional autonomy [5,35] , achievement [6] , relationships with patients [4] , and interaction with colleagues [6,36] . Motivation of physicians is affected by both financial and non-financial incentives which should be considered together for long term results [36,37] . Policy makers need to recognize that motivation among physicians is complex and requires comprehensive approaches [3] .…”