Transcript Physicians, Residents, Medical Students: Burnout Syndrome, Depression and Suicide Rakesh Patel, MD, MBA, FACP Assistant Professor East Tennessee State University.

Physicians, Residents,
Medical Students:
Burnout Syndrome,
Depression and Suicide
Rakesh Patel, MD, MBA, FACP
Assistant Professor
East Tennessee State University
Now Lets Talk About…
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE
IN
PHYSICIANS
RESIDENTS
MEDICAL STUDENTS
Goals and Objectives, cont
• Learn to recognize burnout syndrome,
depression, and suicidality in yourselves and
educate medical students and residents to do so
as well.
• Better identify those physicians at high risk of
suicide.
• Conclude the need to establish regular source of
health care and seek help for mood disorders,
substance abuse, and/or suicidality.
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A. Medical Student
B. Resident
C. Psychiatrist
D. Other Physician
E. Psychologist/Therap
ist
F. All others not noted
above who came to
enjoy this lecture
Rank the professions from highest
to lowest rate of depression.
A. Artist
B. Nursing Home
Employee
C. Doctors and Nurses
D. Lawyers
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Depression Among Professionals
These include:
1. Nursing Home Employees
and Childcare Providers
2. Food Service
3. Social Worker
4. Doctors and Nurses
5. Artist
6. Teachers
7. Secretaries and
Administrative Support
8. Maintenance Workers
9. Financial Advisors
10. Lawyers
Source: October 2007 report by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA),
an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Video
http://www.doctorswithdepression.org/
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Physician Depression and Suicide
Prevention Project. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
What is Depression?
• Common symptoms of depression:
• Lost of interest in the things that were previously pleasurable
• Depressed and Sadness
• Hopelessness
• Other may Include:
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Anxiety
Increased feeling of guilt
Irritability
Impatience
Sleep disturbances
Tearfulness
Difficulty concentrating
Appetite changes (loss/gain)
Increased Isolation
Somatic Pain
Substance abuse
What is Major Depression?
Per DSM-IV, at least 5 of the following symptoms and the symptoms cause
distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important
functioning
1. * Depressed mood
2. * Decreased interest or pleasure in activities
3. Significant variations in weight or appetite.
4. Insomnia or Hypersomnia.
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation.
6. Daily fatigue or energy loss.
7. Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
8. Difficulties in concentration or decisiveness.
9. Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal ideation, plan, or attempt.
* One of these symptoms must be present
Depression in General
• Estimated 19 Million Americans Suffer from Depression
• Women suffer from depression twice as much as men.
• Regardless of racial and ethnic background or economic status.
• Depression in people 65 and older increases the risk of stroke
and other medical complications.
• The economic cost of depressive illnesses is $30 million to $44
billion a year.
Depression in General, cont
• More Americans (24 million) suffer from depression than
coronary heart disease (17 million), cancer (12 million), and
HIV/AIDS (1 million).
• Even though effective treatments are available, only one in three
depressed people gets help.
• Although most depressed people are not suicidal, two-thirds of
those who die by suicide suffer from a depressive illness.
• About 15 percent of the population will suffer from depression at
some time during their life. Thirty percent of all depressed
inpatients attempt suicide.
Depression in Our Profession
• Depression is as common among the medical profession as the
general population
• Males: 12%
• Females: 18%
• However depression is more common in medical students and
residents
• Estimated at 15-30% (screen positive)
• Preliminary study found that residents who experienced
depression may be as much as 6 times more likely than
nonaffected controls to make medication errors. Other studies
have confirmed the association of depression with self-perceived
medication and other errors.
Shaw DL, Wedding D, Zeldow PB. Suicide among medical students and physicians, special problems of medical students. In: Wedding D, ed.
Behavior and Medicine. 3rd ed. Hogrefe and Huber: 2001:78-9 (chap 6).
Fahrenkopf AM, Sectish TC, Barger LK, et al. Rates of medication errors among depressed and burnt out residents: prospective cohort
study. BMJ. Mar 1 2008;336(7642):488-91.
West CP, Tan AD, Habermann TM, Sloan JA, Shanafelt TD. Association of resident fatigue and distress with perceived medical errors. JAMA.
Sep 23 2009;302(12):1294-300.
Depression in Physicians
• Again: Higher rates in medical students (15 – 30%) and Higher
rates in interns and residents (30%)  Higher than the General
Population.
• Lifetime rates of depression in women physicians were 39%
compared to 30% in age matched women with PhD’s  Higher
than the General Population.
• Lifetime rates of depression in male physicians (13%) may be
similar to rates of depression in men in the general population, or
they may be slightly elevated. Concerns of underestimating the
prevalence secondary to limited self reporting
Welneret al., Arch Gen Psych, 1979; Clayton et al., J Ad Dis, 1980; Frank & Dingle, Am J Psych, 1999
Wieclawet al., OccupEnviron Med, 2006; Center et al., JAMA, 2003; Valko& Clayton, Am J Psych, 1975 Kirsling& Kochar, PsycholRep, 1989
Let us now speak about…
SUICIDE
Today I’m struggling with the awkward
conversations regarding your death. “I would have
helped if I had only known,” so many said. Did you
fear losing the respect of your colleagues and
coworkers if they had indeed known? The culture
of medicine demands that physicians suppress
vulnerability or need,1,2 and this ethos does not
accept help-seeking behavior.2
1. Center C, Davis M, Detre T, et al. Confronting depression and suicide in
physicians: a consensus statement. JAMA. 2003;289 (23): 3161–3166.
2. Miller NM, McGowen RK. The painful truth: physicians are not invincible. South
Med J. 2000;93 (10):966–973.
How about Suicide!!
It is estimated that on
average ? Physicians
commit suicide a year
in the United States!
Answer is…
A. 100 -200
B. 200 -300
C. 300 - 400
D. 400 - 500
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Suicide In General
• The latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention indicates that 38,364 suicide deaths were
reported in the U.S. in 2010.
• This latest rise places suicide again as the 10th leading cause
of death in the U.S.
• Nationally, the suicide rate increased 3.9 percent over 2009 to
equal approximately 12.4 suicides per 100,000 people. The
rate of suicide has been increasing since 2000. This is the
highest rate of suicide in 15 years.
Suicide in General
Most recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control for the year 2010. All rates are per 100,000 population.
Suicide in General
• Every 13.7 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide.
• Nearly 1,000,000 people make a suicide attempt every year.
• 90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and
treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.
• Most people with mental illness do not die by suicide.
Suicide in General, cont
• Recent data puts yearly medical costs for suicide at nearly $100
million (2005).
• Men are nearly 4 times more likely to die by suicide than women.
Women attempt suicide 3 times as often as men.
• Suicide rates are highest for people between the ages of 40 and
59.
• White individuals are most likely to die by suicide, followed by
Native American peoples.
Physician Suicide
• Positive:
• Physicians worldwide have a lower mortality risk from cancer and
heart disease relative to the general population
• Physicians have decreased smoking and other common risk
factors for early mortality
* Source: Gagné P, Moamai J, Bourget D. Psychopathology and suicide among Quebec physicians: a nested case
control study. Depress Res Treat. 2011;2011:936327.
Physician Suicide
• Negative:
• Physicians are reluctant to address depression, a significant cause
of morbidity and mortality that disproportionately affects them.
• Significantly higher risk of dying from suicide than the general
population
• Among Medical Students: after accidents, suicide is the most
common cause of death.
• To Note:
• Suicide is usually a result of UNTREATED or INADEQUATELY
TREATED DEPRESSION, connected with knowledge of and access
to lethal means*
* Source: Gagné P, Moamai J, Bourget D. Psychopathology and suicide among Quebec physicians: a nested case
control study. Depress Res Treat. 2011;2011:936327.
Physician Suicide
• Physicians have a higher rate of completion than the general
population
• 1.4 – 2.3 times higher
• Interestingly Female physicians attempt suicide less than Males
BUT same completion rate as males
• So they are more likely to complete a suicide making them 2.5 – 4
times more than the general population.*
* Sourcea: Frank E, Dingle AD. Self-reported depression and suicide attempts among U.S. women physicians. Am J Psychiatry. Dec
1999;156(12):1887-94.
Schernhammer ES, Colditz GA. Suicide rates among physicians: a quantitative and gender assessment (meta-analysis). Am J Psychiatry. Dec
2004;161(12):2295-302
Physician Suicide, cont
• Most common psychiatric diagnosis among those physicians that
complete suicide:
• Depression and Bipolar Disorder
• Alcoholism and other Substance Abuse
• Most common means of suicide by physicians
• Medication Overdose and Firearms
* Sourcea: Frank E, Dingle AD. Self-reported depression and suicide attempts among U.S. women physicians. Am J Psychiatry. Dec
1999;156(12):1887-94.
Schernhammer ES, Colditz GA. Suicide rates among physicians: a quantitative and gender assessment (meta-analysis). Am J Psychiatry. Dec
2004;161(12):2295-302
Per the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention: Depression and Suicide
• Each year in the U.S., roughly 300 to 400 physicians die by suicide.
• Physician deaths from smoking-related illnesses decreased 40 to 60
percent after targeted educational campaigns to reduce smoking
among physicians. Suicide rates among physicians are not
decreasing, presumably because little attention has been paid to
this issue.
• Depression is a major risk factor in physician suicide. Other factors
include bipolar disorder and alcohol and substance abuse.
Per the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention: Depression and Suicide, cont
• There is no evidence that work-related stressors are linked to
elevated rates of suicide in physicians.
• Medical students have rates of depression 15 to 30 percent higher
than the general population.
• Contributing to the higher suicide rate among physicians is their
higher completion to attempt ratio, which may result from greater
knowledge of lethality of drugs and easy access to means.
Per the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention: Gender Statistics
• In the U.S., suicide deaths are 250 to 400 percent higher among
female physicians when compared to females in other professions.
• Among male physicians, death by suicide is 70 percent higher when
compared to males in other professions.
• In the general population, males complete suicide four times more
often then females.
• However, female physicians have a rate equal to male physicians.
• Women physicians have a higher rate of major depression than agematched women with doctorate degrees.
Source: AFSP’s Physician Depression and Suicide Prevention Project was launched in 2002, with a conference in San Diego. A consensus
statement was later drafted and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2003.
Profile of Physicians at High Risk of
Suicide
Silverman M (ed): Physicians and suicide, in The Handbook of Physician Health: Essential Guide to Understanding the Health Care Needs of
Physicians. Edited by Goldman LS, Myers M, Dickstein LJ. Chicago, Il., American Medical Association, 2000
Center C, Davis M, Detre T, et al: Confronting depression and suicide in physicians: a consensus statement. JAMA 2003; 289:3161–3166
Why Us
• Our own reluctance to recognize depression in our colleague
• Many stating, “I never had any idea that he or she was suffering
from …”
• Our own reluctance to seek help (makes us look weak/unhealthy?)
• When depressed physicians do reach out they may find only
limited sympathy from their own colleagues
Myers M, Gabbard G. The Physician as Patient: A Clinical Handbook for Mental Health Professionals. American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008.
Why Us, cont
• Many clinicians are uncomfortable in treating fellow physicians in
general, especially for mental health issues. *
• Many times the first signs are physical /somatic complaints making
depression harder to diagnosis.
• Marital problems, Litigation Issues are common precipitants of
depression
Myers M, Gabbard G. The Physician as Patient: A Clinical Handbook for Mental Health Professionals. American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008.
Why Us, cont
Medical licensure applications and renewal applications:
• frequently require answering questions regarding the
physician’s mental health history
• may be out of compliance with the provisions of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Some states allow physicians enrolled in treatment to be
able to check “no” as long as compliant
Polfliet SR. A National Analysis of Medical Licensure Applications. J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2008;36:369- 74.
Altchuler SI. Commentary: Granting medical licensure, honoring the Americans with disabilities act, and protecting the public: can we do all
three?. Acad Med. Jun 2009;84(6):689-91.
Schroeder R, Brazeau CM, Zackin F, Rovi S, Dickey J, Johnson MS, et al. Do state medical board applications violate the Americans With
Disabilities Act?. Acad Med. Jun 2009;84(6):776-81.
How about Malpractice Insurers?
ANSWER THIS:
Have you ever had an ILLNESS OR
DISABILITY that impairs or could impair your
ability to practice your profession. It is
including but not limited to alcoholism, drug
addiction, compulsive disorders, tremors,
multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis?
If YES, the details required on a separate
sheet must include the name and address of
your treating physician.
How about Malpractice Insurers?
• Discrimination in obtaining insurance coverage is a common, but
little publicized, problem for physicians with mental illness.
• Health, disability, and liability insurance may all be denied to a
physician who admits to depression.
Louise B Andrew, MD, JD; Chief Editor: Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP. Physician Suicide. Medscape. Updated: Mar 8, 2012
How about Malpractice Insurers?,
cont
• Even if disability insurance has previously been procured, its use
may subject physicians to repeated humiliating and invasive
examinations by detached and dubious “independent medical
examiners” for the insurer, whose motivation is to cut company
losses.
• Many physicians affected by mental illness feel that insurers
expect them to adhere to the standard prescription “physician,
heal thyself.”
Louise B Andrew, MD, JD; Chief Editor: Barry E Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP. Physician Suicide. Medscape. Updated: Mar 8, 2012
Where do Physicians go for help in
Tennessee?
Tennessee Medical Foundation's Physicians Health Program (PHP)
• Professional assistance to physicians suffering chemical
dependence, mental or emotional illness, or both.
• The PHP’s purpose is to protect patients from identifiably
impaired physicians and to afford impaired physicians every
opportunity to be rehabilitated to productive medical practice.
Source: http://health.state.tn.us/boards/Me/complaints.htm
Where do Physicians go for help in
Tennessee?, cont
Tennessee Medical Foundation's Physicians Health Program (PHP)
• Assist physicians and their families with a wider range of problems.
• rage issues, inability to get along with other group members, and
various psychological issues that inhibit a physician’s ability to
practice his or her healing arts.
• Success rate approaching 90 percent (ahead of the national par), the
TMF-PHP intervenes with some 150-200 individual physicians,
residents, and medical students across the state each year.
• The PHP has developed a highly successful, professionally managed
program to help salvage the practices—and the lives—of impaired
physicians.
Source: http://health.state.tn.us/boards/Me/complaints.htm
How Does the Physician’s Health Program Work?
• Identification
• The Tennessee Medical Foundation (TMF) maintains a 24-hour phone line
for family members, patients, and co-workers to report, confidentially, their
concerns about a physician.
• Verification
• The TMF PHP medical director and / or case managers attempt to verify the
reported behavior. If the behavior is not verified, the process is halted or the
information is held for further inquiry.
• Interview
• If the need for help is substantiated, the physician is asked to make an
appointment for an interview with TMF PHP personnel. In exchange for
support, the physician is invited to follow the recommendations of the PHP
in seeking specified treatment at his or her own expense.
How Does the Physician’s Health Program Work?, cont
• Treatment
• All treatment is carried out in approved hospitals and treatment facilities. The length of
treatment is based upon the physician's individual needs. Physicians affected by other
emotional or behavioral conditions are treated with an initial evaluation and
subsequently prescribed inpatient and / or intensive outpatient therapy.
• Re-Entry
• Re-Entry into practice usually occurs within one or two weeks following treatment. During
this period, the PHP is often the physician’s strongest – and sometimes only- ally. The PHP
medical director and case managers work in concert with the treatment center’s
recommendations to establish contractual ground rules for re-entry into practice.
• Aftercare
• Aftercare is a minimum five-year process. It is guided by an individualized contract,
comprised of recommendations of the PHP and the treatment facility.
• Family Support. Active and comprehensive program for family members,
which at a minimum includes:
• Families of newly identified physicians are provided opportunities to receive help through
support programs, sponsoring families, and professional therapist.
• Caduceus Al-Anon groups are available. Meetings are held on a regular basis for the
purpose of self-help and group therapy.
Where do Medical Students go
when they need help?
• PARC Program : Professional & Academic Resource Center
• Single dwelling house in a residential neighborhood near the
campus, which was selected for the privacy of students and
student families.
• Counseling services - individual, family, marriage, and group
counseling.
• Counseling services for medical students and immediate family
are provided at no cost to Quillen students.
• Respecting the students' need for privacy, every effort is made to
protect the confidentiality needed for an effective therapeutic
relationship.
• To contact PARC, please call Phil Steffey
• (423) 232-0275
• 24 Hour pager 854-0342
Where do Residents go when they
need help?
• ETSU’s Resident Assistance Program (RAP) is a confidential
counseling and referral service for ETSU Medical School Residents
and their Families.
• GOALS:
• encourage self referral so that you can be helped with training issues,
personal and marital concerns before they lead to more serious
difficulties.
• assist residents with substance abuse problems through evaluation
and treatment so as to reduce risk to patients and restore residents to
health and effective training and practice. Substance abuse services
are coordinated with the State programs of the Physicians Health
Program of the Tennessee Medical Foundation. A department chair or
program director may recommend that a resident see RAP services,
but residents are especially encouraged to request consultation on
their own
Who do they contact?
• Dr. McGowen (Associate Professor of Psychiatry at ETSU)
• You may call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for support
and assistance when you need it.
• Call: pager (423) 610-2048 - 24 Hours a Day.
• She may arrange an appointment with you in her office to
discuss various options. These discussions are completely
confidential.
• Your privacy is an important element of the RAP program.
• The RAP program is completely independent of your
department.
• All conversations, over the telephone or in person, are
confidential.
The services offered…
• The majority of services are out-patient in nature. A range of
in-patient and out-patient psychiatric services can be
accessed, however, and include intensive individual and group
psychotherapy for individuals and couples, medication
management, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation and after
care
• The counseling sessions with Dr. McGowen are free to all
residents and their immediate family members. If Dr.
McGowen refers you to another physician, your health
insurance through the University will cover the first six
sessions at no cost for the resident and/or family member.
Educational Video
The American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention has created a video on the topic
for physicians and other medical trainees
http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&pag
e_ID=9859BF59-CF1C-2465-128DAE02D3C9B309
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Physician Depression and Suicide
Prevention Project. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
For Further Information
Resources related to physician
depression and suicide:
• American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention at www.afsp.org
• Black-Bile at www.black-bile.com