Experiences of COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit Physicians and Hospital Administrators: Qualitative Findings from Focus Groups

Background: While quantitative research has determined that emotional distress and psychiatric illness among frontline healthcare workers increased with the COVID-19 pandemic, detailed qualitative data describing their personal experiences are needed in order to make appropriate plans to address provider mental health in future pandemics. This study aims to further explore the psychological effects of the pandemic on COVID-19 ICU clinicians and administrators through focus groups. Methods: Two separate 2-h focus groups of physicians were conducted, one with frontline faculty clinicians and another with administrators. Qualitative data analysis was conducted. Results: In September and November 2023, volunteer samples were recruited from the pulmonary and critical care medicine division of The University of Texas Southwestern physicians who served during the pandemic primarily as clinicians (N = 6) or in major administrative roles (N = 5). Perceptions of both administrators’ and clinicians’ pandemic experiences were coded into the same 7 qualitative themes: planning, sense of community and isolation, disparities and inequalities, communication and listening, leadership, effects of the pandemic, and emotional/psychiatric/coping responses. Effects of the pandemic were the most coded theme in both groups; second was disparities and inequalities for clinicians and pandemic planning for administrators. Thematic content is summarized separately for clinicians and administrators, illustrated with representative quotes. Conclusion: This study adds detailed qualitative findings to enrich existing quantitative knowledge on frontline COVID-19 workers’ emotional responses. Both clinicians and administrators identified helpful and non-helpful institutional responses. These findings are consistent with prior studies of disaster worker experiences and may help to inform efforts to address provider mental health in future pandemics.