Doctor’s Burn Out Like Rocket Ships

Here is an article that is what researchers call a “meta-analysis.”

That means that plenty of people have done research on something. So somebody throws together the statistics from several articles, on similar things, to give them more “power.” To show that they are pointing at one strong inference of proof.

A longtime patient actually asked me a few days ago, “how come you are different from everybody else who does this for a living? You seem to really care about what happens to me as a person…”

I explained to him, simply, that while a lot of doctors have people in their families who came before them and are also doctors, I come from a long line of patients. Mostly psychiatric patients.

I told him that was why I treat patients like family.

He nodded.

The meta-analysis says that “Burned out doctors” make errors, and actually suggests their level of practice may not be as high.

Doctors are not exactly trained for self monitoring. Most of the “burned out” docs I have met did not know that they were. Sometimes the are just plain depressed, and actually need treatment. If people ever mentioned this in medical school or residency training, it has escaped my eyes and ears completely.

I remember learning about Balint Groups.

Notice the American society uses words like “clinicians” as opposed to “doctors.” When a doctor skates on the thin ice of making decisions on 70% or so of the data (with even more data declined by those loveable insurance companies), self-examination is not a favorite pastime.

The system eats doctors alive.

I feel as if I am a member of an endangered species, like a dinosaur.