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 “One in three depressed doctors said they were more easily
exasperated by patients; 32 percent said they were less engaged with
their patients; and 29 percent acknowledged being less friendly,”
Leslie Kane, Senior Director, Medscape Business of Medicine, said in
an email to Reuters Health.
What’s more, nearly 15 percent of depressed doctors said their
depression might cause them to make errors they wouldn’t ordinarily
make, while 5 percent said depression led them to make errors that
might have harmed patients.
More than 15,000 doctors across 29 specialties responded to survey
questions about depression and burnout, which was defined as
feelings of physical, emotional or mental exhaustion; frustration or
cynicism about work; and doubts about the value of their work.
Critical care doctors and neurologists had the highest rates of
burnout (48 percent), followed by family doctors (47 percent) and
ob/gyns and internists (46 percent).
The lowest rates were among plastic surgeons (23 percent),
ophthalmologists (33 percent) and dermatologists and pathologists
(32 percent), all specialists who are less likely to work under
emergency conditions, according to the report.
Fourteen percent of all doctors surveyed said they feel both burned
out and depressed.
“Some specialties, by their nature, have shorter visits with
patients and may have more pressure to see patients faster,” Kane
said. “They don’t feel they can have the satisfaction of getting to
know their patients, which was once the norm.”
“For doctors such as primary care physicians who see many patients
in relatively short time frames, it becomes increasingly difficult
to stay on schedule and feel that there is any ‘decompression’ time
during the day,” Kane noted.
Physician burnout and depression are driven largely by bureaucratic
and practice demands, but “patients can make a difference,” she
said.
“For example, if you have a problem with or complaint about
something that happens in the office or an interaction with the
office staff, try to find a way to let the physician know,” Kane
suggested.
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“Giving the doctor a chance to solve or address the problem averts
having a disgruntled patient write a nasty online review for
something the doctor wasn’t aware of,” she said.
On the other hand, she said, “if you are really happy with something
a doctor has done for you, or you’ve had a particularly good visit,
you might consider sending a nice note to let the doctor know. Any
show of appreciation or thanks is always very welcome.”
Dr. Carol Bernstein, a past president of the American Psychiatric
Association and professor of psychiatry and neurology at NYU Langone
Health in New York City told Reuters Health by email, “Physician
wellbeing is important because physicians who care for themselves
will do a better job caring for others, and are less likely to make
medical errors or leave the profession.”
However, she added, “Concern about the stigma related to seeking
mental health services is overwhelming, in part due to anxiety about
licensure, credentialing and hospital privileging.”
While resources to prevent burnout and reduce stress can help, the
survey found that only 45 percent of hospital-based doctors and 31
percent of office-based multispeciality practices or outpatient
clinics have burnout prevention programs.
Medscape has a free online Physician Business Academy (http://wb.md/2DI8iGi)
to help doctors manage the business and regulatory aspects of their
practice, which contribute to burnout, Kane said.
Bernstein added that the Action Collaborative on Clinician Wellbeing
and Resilience (http://bit.ly/2DHXUOV) has “important initiatives in
progress to address this crisis.”
SOURCE: http://wb.md/2DHC51S Medscape, online January 17, 2018.
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