Decreasing Patient Stress and Physician/Medical Workforce Burnout Through Health Care Environments: Uncovering the Serious Leisure Perspective at Mayo Clinic's Campus in Rochester, Minnesota

Abstract

Health care environments are places of high stress for both patients and medical professionals. Although organizational efforts of workload and efficiency are often implemented to decrease both patient and physician/medical workforce stress, what is often overlooked is how leisure opportunities and programs located in day-to-day experiences and in physically built environments can increase both patient and medical staff enjoyment and pleasure, thus lowering patient stress and physician/medical staff burnout. Combining historical research on the leisure pursuits of Drs William J. Mayo and Charles H. Mayo, literature on leisure, stress, and burnout, and a case study methodology of Mayo Clinic's campus in Rochester, Minnesota, the purpose of this study was to describe how the Serious Leisure Perspective (SLP) exists at Mayo Clinic and contributes to relieving stress among patients and preventing burnout among physicians.