NEW THIS YEAR !
Connecting through Podcast
In March 2022 , we launched “ In Dialogue ,” CPSO ’ s podcast series where we speak to health system experts on issues related to medical regulation , the delivery of quality care , physician wellness , and initiatives to address bias and discrimination in health care . Physicians also have the opportunity to earn CPD credits as they listen .
Available on eDialogue , Apple Podcasts , Google Podcasts , Amazon Music | Podcasts and SoundCloud .
Episode 6 :
INDIGENOUS HEALTH
Dr . Chase Everett McMurren Indigenous Health Theme Lead for University of Toronto ’ s MD Program
Episode 8 :
PHYSICIAN MENTAL HEALTH
Dr . Jon Novick Psychiatrist and Medical Director , OMA Physician Health Program
Physicians at a Crisis Point
CPSO recognizes the extraordinary pressures inherent in the practice of medicine , as well as the threat physician burnout poses to patient care . The pandemic caused chaos and misery , but it also began normalizing conversations about physician mental health . As the regulator , we have ensured we are part of this crucial conversation by developing articles that convey our support for physicians .
FEATURE
BURN OUT
COVID-19 ' s Toll on Physician Mental Health
IMAGE : iSTOCKPHOTO . COM
The first year of the pandemic saw a lead author Dr . Daniel Myran , a family physician , significant increase in the number public health and preventive medicine specialist , of Ontario doctors seeking help for and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa Department of Family Medicine and The Otta- mental health issues or problematic substance use .
wa Hospital . “ To help understand how COVID-19
A study published in the Journal JAMA Network has been impacting physician mental health we Open found that during 2020 , physicians had 27 looked at changes over time in health care visits percent more visits for mental health and substance disorders when compared to 2019 . The Dr . Myran and his colleagues linked anonymized
by physicians .” relative increase was significantly greater in physicians without a prior mental health or substance to the health administrative databases at ICES .
data from 34,000 practising physicians in Ontario use issue . They looked at all in-person and virtual care
Surveys of physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic have found increased rates of depression , physician that were coded as related to mental
outpatient visits to a psychiatrist or primary care
anxiety and burnout . However , because many health or substance use . surveys have low response rates , and capture only The study ’ s findings suggest the pandemic has a single point in time , it is “ unclear how reflective placed a considerable strain on the mental health they are of physician mental health overall ,” said of physicians .
ISSUE 1 , 2022 // DIALOGUE 17
More than half of physicians and medical learners report experiencing high levels of burnout , with 49 percent of respondents reporting they are considering reducing their clinical work in the next 24 months .
– Canadian Medical Association ’ s National Physician Health Survey
CPSO ANNUAL REPORT 2022 23