What Is to Be Done?
“I would favor having physician leaders in healthcare organizations take the time to talk to physicians [and] provide mentoring programs when new physicians are recruited, with ongoing discussions at operations and governance meetings about physician health and wellness,” Dr. Deep said. Providing frequent updates to physicians about wellness resources and encouraging them to seek out help anonymously through Employee Assistance Programs and other counseling services would be beneficial, he added.
“I would also consider peer mentoring when possible. Employers, healthcare organizations, and other key stakeholders should continue to work toward decreasing the stigma of depression and burnout,” Dr. Deep said.
Employers can help physicians manage and reduce burnout and depression by engaging with them, listening to their concerns, and trying to address them, said Dr. Deep. These actions will increase physicians’ trust in their administrations and promote a positive and healthy work environment, he said. “This will lead to reduced attrition in the workforce, retention of experienced physicians and support staff, and lead to increased patient satisfaction as well.”
The data come from Medscape’s annual report on Physician Burnout & Depression, which included 9226 practicing physicians in the United States across more than 29 specialties.
Dr. Deep had no financial conflicts to disclose; he serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Internal Medicine News.