Wearable Tech & Feedback for Physician Burnout

Overseen By Rachel E Gonzales, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not Penn EM, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to discover new methods to help emergency medicine doctors reduce stress and burnout using wearable technology. Participants will either wear a device like a Fitbit to receive real-time feedback on stress levels through ecological momentary assessments or complete surveys. The goal is to determine if these tools can help doctors manage their mental health more effectively. This trial is ideal for emergency medicine doctors who work at least 20 hours a week and have daily access to a smartphone. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity for doctors to explore innovative stress management tools that could enhance their well-being.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that this wearable device and feedback method is safe for emergency medicine physicians?

Research shows that wearable devices like the Fitbit Charge 5, along with real-time stress check-ins, are generally safe for health monitoring. Studies have found no significant negative effects on healthcare professionals using these devices.

In one study, participants wore the Fitbit Charge 5 and reported feeling comfortable and safe. The device tracked their stress, anxiety, and burnout levels without causing any issues. The information from these devices also provided timely mental health support, which proved beneficial.

Overall, wearable technology and real-time check-ins are well-received, making them a promising option for monitoring and supporting mental health in emergency medicine doctors. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores a novel approach to addressing physician burnout using wearable technology combined with real-time feedback. Unlike traditional methods that might involve therapy or medication, this approach utilizes a FitBit Charge 5 to monitor stress levels continually. Participants also receive personalized feedback through bi-weekly data dashboards, offering immediate insights into their stress patterns and potential triggers. This real-time, data-driven strategy could provide a more personalized and proactive way to manage stress, offering a fresh perspective on combating burnout effectively.

What evidence suggests that this wearable device and feedback method is effective for reducing physician burnout?

Research has shown that wearable devices like the Fitbit Charge 5 can help identify signs of stress, burnout, and anxiety in healthcare workers. In this trial, participants in the intervention arm will use these devices to gather data on stress levels and sleep patterns, which are crucial for understanding mental health. Studies have found that combining these wearables with real-time check-ins through ecological momentary assessments effectively tracks mental health. This method enables quick action when stress or other issues arise. Early results suggest that this approach could support the mental health of emergency medicine doctors. ^{1 2 3 4 6}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for emergency medicine physicians and advanced practice providers over 18, who work at least 20 hours a week in clinical care at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Participants must have daily access to a smartphone, be able to wear a wrist device, and have or create a Gmail account.

Inclusion Criteria

Ability to use a wrist-worn wearable device

Emergency Medicine (EM) physician or advanced practice provider

Daily access to smart phone

Exclusion Criteria

I do not work in clinical care for 20 hours or more weekly.

Does not have or is unwilling to create a Gmail / Google account

Does not have daily access to a smart phone

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete a baseline survey measuring well-being, burnout, depression, and anxiety

1 week

1 visit (in-person or virtual)

Intervention

Intervention group receives wearable devices and bi-weekly EMA surveys; control group receives usual care

12 weeks

Bi-weekly virtual check-ins for intervention group

Follow-up

Participants complete post-surveys at 3 months and 6 months to assess mental health outcomes

12 weeks

2 visits (virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Wearable Device and Ecological Momentary Assessments

Trial Overview The study is testing if using wearable devices along with real-time assessments can help spot and manage stress and mental health issues in emergency medicine staff. It aims to link them to an online mental health platform based on their feedback.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

In addition to completing 3 surveys over the course of 6 months, participants in the intervention arm will be asked to wear a wearable device (FitBit Charge 5), complete texting-based ecological momentary assessments to gauge real-time feelings of stress, and receive bi-weekly personalized data dashboards to report back their data.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants randomized to this arm will receive digital surveys over the course of 6 months (one at baseline, one at 3 months, and one at 6 months). These surveys will be the same as the intervention arm and will ask questions related to burnout, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and stress.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

Emergency Medicine Foundation

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

2,200+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11234055/

Wearable Technologies for Detecting Burnout and Well-Being ... Studies observing anxiety, burnout, stress, and depression using a wearable device worn by an HCP were included, with HCP defined as medical students, residents ...

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05606887

Identifying Mental Health Distress in EM Physicians The device will collect biometric data on stress levels, sleep patterns, and other physiological measures of well-being. The intervention group will receive ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12065672/

Monitoring Substance Use with Fitbit Biosignals We collected data from 9 participants using Fitbit Charge 5 devices, supplemented by ecological momentary assessments to collect real-time labels of substance ...

4. psychologicalscience.org psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/wearable-device-digital-interventions.html

How Wearable Device Data Can Fuel Digital Interventions Researchers are using data from wearable devices to deliver digital interventions when people need them most.

5. formative.jmir.org formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e67822

The Moderating Effect of Atypical Events on the Relationship ... The TILES-2019 dataset consists of physiological and behavioral data collected from a cohort of 57 medical residents working in an ICU at the ...

6. fitabase.com fitabase.com/research-library/

Fitbit Research Library The Fitbit Research Library by Fitabase is the most comprehensive resource for published research using Fitbit devices.