Some hospitals are training physicians to better manage their feelings in the face of what can be great stress on the job, as the problem of clinician burnout (and the medical errors that may sometimes be caused by it) seems to intensify.
As this Wall Street Journal story says:
“The increased focus on coping skills comes amid rising concern for the psychological health of physicians. A recent study found burnout rates among pediatrics residents at Seattle Children’s Hospital ranged from 41% to 77%, depending on the year of residency, says Maneesh Batra, who presented the findings at a recent meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies. Dr. Batra, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says previous studies at other institutions have shown similar burnout rates among residents in other medical specialties. Research shows that higher doctor-burnout rates are associated with more medical errors, impacting patients.”
