SHM Converge Scientific Abstract ePoster Gallery-Hospital Medicine Faculty-Staff Email Guideline Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, and Implementation

Pdf Summary

A University of Michigan Hospital Medicine division introduced email management guidelines in February 2023 to reduce email-related burnout and promote healthier boundaries, such as not checking email while on vacation and using standardized subject lines to clarify urgency and deadlines. The study evaluated the guidelines using the RE-AIM framework to measure reach, effectiveness, adoption, and implementation.<br /><br />Guidelines were distributed through multiple channels over nine months, including business meetings, case conferences, reminders, website postings, and flyers. An anonymous survey sent to all faculty and staff in October–November 2023 received 108 responses out of 237 employees (46% response rate). Respondents included physicians, advanced practice providers, clinical/resident assistants, and administrative staff.<br /><br />Key findings showed that 70.4% had heard of the guidelines, indicating strong reach. Nearly half of respondents (50.0%) said email contributed to their burnout or stress, and 43.5% reported being able to disconnect from work communication during free time. In terms of adoption, 37.0% said they used the guidelines in their own emails, while 51.9% had seen others use them in practice.<br /><br />Email guideline awareness and use were higher among staff with more years of experience; this association remained significant after adjusting for job role, gender, race/ethnicity, and caregiver status. Overall, the intervention achieved meaningful reach and some adoption, but effectiveness and ongoing maintenance remain limited. The authors conclude that future efforts should focus on improving guideline uptake, real-world use, and long-term sustainability.

Asset Subtitle

Ruby Marr

Meta Tag

Author List Anita Amin, Carla Vrondran, Daniel Nielsen, Ruby Marr, Vijay Singh

Category Research

Concept Burnout

Concept Workplace Email Guidelines

Concept Administrative Burden

Concept Email

Concept RE-AIM Framework

Distinguished Non-Finalist

Presenter Organization University of Michigan Department of Internal Medicine

Presenting Author Ruby Marr

Track Quality Improvement

Keywords

email management guidelines

burnout reduction

healthcare communication

University of Michigan Hospital Medicine

RE-AIM framework

workplace boundaries

email stress

guideline adoption

faculty and staff survey

implementation sustainability

Burnout

Workplace Email Guidelines

Administrative Burden

Email

RE-AIM Framework