Profiles of physician motivation towards using virtual care: differences in workplace need fulfillment

BACKGROUND: Physicians appear to vary in their motivation towards using virtual care, but to what extent is unclear. To better understand this variance, which is important for supporting physician wellbeing and therefore patient care, the authors used self-determination theory’s (SDT) framework. According to SDT, different types of motivation exist, ranging from controlled to autonomous, that lend to differences in engagement, performance, and wellbeing. The authors aimed to determine: (a) if there were distinct groups of physicians based on their quality of motivation towards using virtual care, and if so, (b) how these groups varied in fulfillment of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) in the workplace. METHODS: In March-August 2022, the authors collected quantitative, survey-based data from a cross-section of 156 family physicians in Alberta, Canada. The survey contained existing scales that measure types of motivation (autonomous vs. controlled) and basic psychological need satisfaction/frustration at work. Cluster analysis was used to explore profiles of physician motivation towards using virtual care, and analysis of variance was used to determine how each profile differed with respect to workplace need fulfillment. RESULTS: With motivation towards using virtual care, three higher-order profiles of physician motivation were identified: autonomous (19% family physicians), controlled (16% of family physicians), and ambivalent (66% of family physicians). The three profiles differed significantly in terms of psychological need fulfillment at work. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies specific profiles that family physicians currently fall into when it comes to motivation towards using virtual care. In line with SDT, findings suggest that basic psychological needs are fundamental nutrients for physicians to internalize and endorse the value of using virtual care in their practices. Implications for physician wellbeing are discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-023-10057-x.