Surgeon Wellness and Burnout Current Concept Review

Abstract

Physician wellness and burnout have been an increasing source of debate, while physician depression and suicide continue to be on the rise.  The Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North American has been on the forefront of addressing these issues throughout the creation of a Physician Wellness Task Force, membership surveys, and a pre-course at the annual meeting directly addressing this topic.  However, physician members of POSNA still report a burnout rate of almost forty percent.  Despite hard questions being asked, there continues to be significant debate about how best to address physician burnout and focus on physician wellness.

Key Concepts:

1. Occupational burnout is the constellation of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a perceived lack of personal accomplishment.


2. Physician burnout can lead to increased complications and medical errors.


3. Physician burnout requires a multi-faceted approach to prevent and treat, including both personal and institutional strategies.


4. POSNA continues to develop and implement strategies to help their members prevent burnout and focus on wellness.