[The relationship between job overload, burnout and job satisfaction, and the number of jobs of Israeli consultants].

Background: The locus of secondary medical care provision is changing. Services that once were provided solely in hospitals are now available in the community. This and the increased competition among health plans since implementation of the National Health Insurance Law have spurred the development of community-based consultant/specialty medicine in Israel. Consequently, many consultants took part-time jobs in addition to their primary full-time job, usually in community care.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between the number of jobs of the consultant and overload, burnout, and job satisfaction.

Methods: A mail survey was conducted during the latter half of 2001 among a random sample of 50% of physicians in six areas of specialization: ophthalmology, dermatology, otolaryngology, gynecology, cardiology, and general surgery. A total of 890 physicians responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 63%).

Results: The number of jobs and weekly work hours were independently and positively correlated with job overload and burnout. The number of jobs was negatively correlated with job satisfaction. It was found that employment as an independent physician, age, and having completed one's medical education in the former Soviet Union were negatively correlated with job overload and burnout. Employment as an independent physician, age, and an academic post were positively correlated with job satisfaction.

Conclusions: Holding multiple jobs and working many hours were found to have a negative impact on the consultants' quality of work life. Enlightened employers concerned with this effect c ould consider the option of reducing or limiting the number of jobs consultants may hold.