# Tackling burnout in Australian doctors by blending a web-based cognitive-behavioural therapy program with telehealth psychological support – protocol for a three-arm randomised-controlled trial

## TL;DR

This study tests a digital and blended care program to reduce burnout in Australian doctors, comparing it to self-care.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is evaluating a blended care cognitive-behavioral therapy program for health professional burnout.

## Key findings

- Blended care Navigating Burnout is expected to show the strongest reduction in burnout.
- Psychosocial and occupational outcomes are anticipated to improve in treatment arms.
- Service acceptability is predicted to be high for both blended and digital versions.

## Abstract

Burnout has received limited attention in treatment programs, despite high prevalence among health professionals and the threat burnout places upon the mental health and the long-term sustainability of the Australian healthcare system. As part of The Essential Network (TEN), a blended care mental health support service for Australian health professionals, we developed Navigating Burnout – a digital cognitive-behavioural therapy program for health professional burnout. This three-arm randomised-controlled trial (RCT) will examine the effectiveness, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness of Navigating Burnout in both blended care and digital formats in reducing burnout among doctors.

Doctors (n = 207) with burnout will be randomised to (1) a blended version of Navigating Burnout combining digital resources with five fortnightly telehealth sessions with a clinical psychologist, (2) a digital-only version of Navigating Burnout, or (3) self-care psychoeducation as an active attention control. Burnout, psychosocial wellbeing, workforce engagement and attrition, and service acceptability will be measured at baseline, post-treatment, and 3 months post-treatment.

At 3 months post-treatment, we hypothesise reductions in burnout across both treatment arms, with the strongest effect in the blended care arm. Similar trends are expected for psychosocial and occupational outcomes. High service acceptability across both blended care and digital-only versions of Navigating Burnout is also anticipated.

With this evidence, Navigating Burnout may be incorporated into TEN's person-to-person components. Further, by demonstrating the effectiveness of blended care for burnout, Navigating Burnout may provide a crucially needed service for Australian doctors and replicable model of care for other organisations and support services.

•Health professional burnout has received limited attention in treatment programs.•Navigating Burnout is a digital cognitive-behavioural therapy program for burnout.•This trial compares blended care and self-guided versions with a self-care control.•207 doctors will engage with treatment for 10 weeks, with a 3-month follow-up.•Blended care Navigating Burnout is expected to reduce burnout among doctors.

Health professional burnout has received limited attention in treatment programs.

Navigating Burnout is a digital cognitive-behavioural therapy program for burnout.

This trial compares blended care and self-guided versions with a self-care control.

207 doctors will engage with treatment for 10 weeks, with a 3-month follow-up.

Blended care Navigating Burnout is expected to reduce burnout among doctors.