Let’s Make A Doctor’s Mental Health & Well-Being A Priority

Many doctors are also facing sleeping problems, fatigue, and headaches because of heavy workloads. And more than half of all medics (55%) are suffering from burnout from the emotional exhaustion of their jobs. The BMJ Open medical journal recently revealed the grim picture of UK doctors’ mental and physical well-being. It indicated that doctors were finding it hard to switch off from the responsibilities involved in caring for patients. 6 in 10 (61%) doctors think about work when they go to bed, while 49% have trouble sleeping as they feel guilty if they postpone tasks.

These burnouts among healthcare workers have resulted due to various reasons: Administrative workload, longer working hours, infection-prone work environment, and a disregard for personal health issues. These burnouts, if not addressed on time, can have adverse impacts on patient care. Several studies have linked burnout to the risk of medical error and a 17% increase in medical malpractice suits. Self-perceived major medical errors have also been associated with high levels of burnout, depressive symptoms, and a decrease in quality of life. So how can doctors avoid burnout, deal with stress, and address their health concerns? Where do they start?

Destigmatize mental health: Studies have indicated that healthcare practitioners tend to suffer in silence due to the perceived stigma associated with experiencing "stress" and "mental illness." It is time to normalize the conversation around the mental health of doctors so that it makes it easier for professionals to ask for help when needed, while on the job.

It is okay to ask for help: Everyone needs help at some point or another. Being a healthcare professional does not protect them from depression or burnout. It is okay to fall off the wagon and ask for help when you need some.

Consider joining/ starting a peer support group: Have sessions with your colleagues or peers at the end of shifts to help each other work through issues such as medical decisions, emotional issues, or other professional concerns that one may have experienced during the shift. This is especially helpful for doctors to feel supported after a particularly tough day.

Switch to a physician-driven Smart EHR system: Doctor burnout is becoming an epidemic, due to many reasons including pressures of being productive, imperfect electronic health record (EHR) system, and limited face-to-face time with patients. This added "click burden" is a source of frustration for many doctors. There is a need to improve the doctor’s experience by creating an innovative EHR system that is not only physician-driven, but also improves patient safety, reduces physician burnout, and increases physician job satisfaction!

If a doctor experiences any symptoms that suggest mental health concerns, they should consult a mental health practitioner at the earliest opportunity.

Innovations like WONDRx enable doctors to digitize their handwritten prescriptions in real-time, allowing them to experience decreased click burden and more time with patients. These physician-driven innovations have the potential to streamline virtual workflows, and the accurate and appropriate management of health information for future advancements.

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Wondrx (Pronounced as Wonder Rx) is an innovation-based Health-Tech Start-up, based in Mumbai, Maharashtra (India).