Technology, Job Satisfaction, and Retention: Rural Mental Health Practitioners

CONTEXT: Job satisfaction as it relates to retention of mental health professionals is a major problem in rural areas. Several authors have suggested that technology can positively influence job satisfaction and thus improve retention. OBJECTIVES: This study examined technology use and technology expertise in relationship to job satisfaction. It is based on a theoretical framework that asserts as technology use increases, communication among providers and access to educational and consultative resources increase as well, resulting in a boost in professional support and a reduction in isolation. METHODS: Surveys were sent to 320 providers in rural southeast Ohio; 163 returned usable surveys. FINDINGS: There was a statistically significant relationship between the combination of technology use and expertise and job satisfaction. Use alone, however, was not significant. Despite the fact that over 90% of respondents had access to both a computer and the Internet, just 45% used technology to communicate with peers and nearly 96% indicated that they never or rarely used the Internet for educational programs. CONCLUSIONS: The results challenge the assertion that technology plays a major role in job satisfaction and rural retention since access and perceived expertise did not guarantee technology usage. Decisions to stay or leave a rural practice involve a complex array of factors. Technology, with its ability to link providers to resources outside the geographic bounds of an individual's practice, may play a role, but since its adoption can be costly in both time and money, future studies need to determine its place in the retention model.