Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine
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Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. · Sep 2016
ReviewPathology in the Medical Profession?: Taking the Pulse of Physician Wellness and Burnout.
-In the past decades, physician wellness has diminished in every aspect of professional life. Burnout symptoms in the United States affect 30% to 68% of physicians overall-exceeding the levels of any other professional group. The ramifications of burnout present an underrecognized crisis in the health care system that carries the consequences of personal, professional, institutional, and societal costs. ⋯ -Many physicians learn to tolerate burnout symptoms despite negative personal consequences. Long-term work-related stress, however, may lead to the potential for negative effects on the quality of patient care, and to attrition. Interestingly, the factors that enhance physician fulfillment and those that may precipitate burnout symptoms are distinct. Optimization of physician well-being, therefore, requires tailored approaches in each of these 2 dimensions and is most likely to succeed if it includes approaches that are customized to career phase, physician specialty, and practice setting. Importantly, organization leaders must prioritize this issue and provide sustained support for wellness initiatives, to foster a culture that is conducive to physician well-being.
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Social media use is very common and can be an effective way for professionals to discuss information and interact with colleagues. Twitter (Twitter, Inc, San Francisco, California) is a social media network where posts, termed tweets, are limited to 140 characters. Professional use of Twitter is ideal for physicians interested in both networking and education and is optimally used to facilitate in-person networking. ⋯ Physicians report patient privacy as the top concern preventing use of social media for professional reasons, and although generally social media use is safe, it is essential to understand how to protect patient confidentially. Other social media platforms with potential for professional use include Facebook (Facebook, Inc, Menlo Park, California), Instagram (Facebook, Inc), YouTube (YouTube, LLC, San Bruno, California), and Periscope (Twitter, Inc). With Twitter and other social media options, now is the time for pathologists to increase our visibility on social media and worldwide.