The Challenge
Selfless. Dedicated. Independent. Confident. Compassionate. Responsible.
The realities of the medical profession today are exposing the missing skills most consider essential for physicians. We know it takes more.
Resiliency. Balance. Flexibility. Adaptability. Self-Acceptance. Mindfulness.
These things are not usually taught in medical school but they can be learned and practiced. Doing so has become critical for both physicians’ personal and professional well-being.
Exhaustion and burnout lead to more than a physician’s own dissatisfaction. They result in heightened risk of medical errors, more physician disruption, substance abuse, suicides and – the business concern – physicians leaving the profession.
Every doctor who drops out of medical practice costs a health care entity approximately $250,000 or more to replace. Few groups or institutions can afford to lose even one physician. And each physician loss exacerbates access problems for patients.
The Solution
Physicians must attend to self-care and wellness as an ongoing process. Let these pages be a healthy start for YOU or physicians on your staff.
Originally published by Indiana State Medical Association’s Physician Assistance Program.
