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01/11/2019

Ohio coalition is addressing physician burnout

Opwc

The Ohio Physician Wellness Coalition (OPWC) was established last year to address physician burnout. This week, the Coalition—which represents physicians and hospitals statewide—launched www.ohiophysicianwellness.org, a website with a large collection of resources and tools to tackle this often hidden, but very real, problem.

According to the Mayo Clinic, burnout affects physicians at all levels of training and at various stages of their careers: 28-45 percent of medical students; 27-75 percent of residents; and about 37 percent of attending physicians. A recent study also concluded that physicians are spending 49 percent of their time on administrative tasks and only 27 percent with their patients.

Alan Levy, MD, OPPA Past-President, Chair of the OPPA Committee on Depression and Member of the OPWC Physician Advisory Committee said "Depression and burnout are significant problems throughout physicians' professional careers. A study spearheaded by physician members of the Ohio Psychiatric Physician Association found 19% of medical residents experience at least moderate depression and almost 60% are already burned out. Studies show these problems begin as early as medical school and can continue into one's post-training career. Stigma not only impacts Ohioans with depression, but physicians as well. Ohio's physician community must double our efforts at improving awareness of these problems while encouraging appropriate utilization of health-providing resources.

William Resch, DO, OPPA President, said about the Ohio Physician Wellness Coalition, "with its website of information and resources, is going to be transformational for Ohio Physicians. The video series promises to provide practical and useful information to proactively take on the issue of professional burnout, wellness, and compassion fatigue. I applaud the Ohio Physicians Health Plan (OPHP) for leading this endeavor and applaud the efforts of the physician community in coming together on such an important issue!

 

The Ohio Physician Wellness Coalition (OPWC) is a coalition dedicated to addressing physician burnout and providing physician wellness initiatives. Members of the OPWC include: The Academy of Medicine of Cleveland & Northern Ohio, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Osteopathic Association, Ohio Psychiatric Physicians Association, Ohio Academy of Family Physicians, Ohio Hospital Association, Columbus Medical Association, Ohio Physicians Health Program, Ohio Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Ohio Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians.

 

                                                                             

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