INSIDE WVSMA
Editor ’ s Letter
Physician Wellness
Linda S . Nield , MD
The coronavirus pandemic has overwhelmed our healthcare systems in West Virginia ( WV ) and across the country . Ethical issues surrounded the challenge of balancing triage for available hospital beds and resources while caring for patients with diagnoses unrelated to coronavirus . A multitude of reports about the pandemic adversely affecting the quality of life for healthcare workers across the world have been published . 1 Even in the best of times , physicians are considered to be at increased risk for suicide . 2
It has been reported that 47 % of physicians felt burned out in 2021 , up from 42 % in 2020 . 3 We are so fortunate to have Dr . P . Bradley ( Brad ) Hall , immediate past president of the West Virginia State Medical Association ( WVSMA ), caring for our regional and national colleagues . As the founding medical director of the WV Medical Professionals Health Program , past-president and current director-at-large for the Federation of State Physician Health Programs , Dr . Hall serves our profession in innumerable ways , including promoting wellness .
“ Now , more than ever , the issues surrounding professional well-being and wellness are at the forefront of organized medicine . Healthcare professionals are suffering the same stressors as their patients every day . This includes the fear of exposure to COVID-19 , working long hours , increased distress , burnout , anxiety , depression , and substance misuse affecting all their relationships with people , places , and things ,” Dr . Hall explained in an email correspondence on January 24 , 2022 .
As physicians , we continuously strive to provide optimal care for our patients but not always for ourselves . “ Doctors don ’ t do the ‘ human thing ’ very well . We are very well trained in our professions and not so much in being ‘ at-ease ’ with the ‘ dis-ease ’ of our own ‘ human-ness .’ The twindemics of COVID-19 and burnout make the issue of wellness a worthy focus of the WVSMA ,” Dr . Hall emphasized .
In this March 2022 issue of the West Virginia Medical Journal , physician wellness is the highlighted topic . Sedney et al provide a glimpse into the wellness of a small sample of trainees , 4 and Calderwood et al explore the psychological impact of the pandemic on practicing healthcare workers in our state . 5 A team of co-authors from the West Virginia University School of Medicine , the West Virginia School of
Osteopathic Medicine , and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission led by Sheppard and Hereford contributed two articles about factors influencing the decision for practicing physicians 6 and trainees 7 to work in WV ; anticipated quality of life is one of the influencing factors .
Any actions taken to improve or maintain our own health or well-being are paramount . Reaching out to help a colleague in distress is a direct , individual action that is required of all of us to foster physician wellness and ensure patient safety . A systemic action that can contribute to the wellness of physicians and benefit WVSMA members on a larger scale is modernization of the governance structure of the WVSMA . Our current WVSMA ’ s president , Dr . Shafic Sraj , has been striving earnestly to enhance the governance of the WVSMA to best serve our members . A first major step was the passing and then publication of the new bylaws in the special electronic issue of the journal in February 2022 , with review of the constitution and bylaws in an upcoming meeting in April 2022 . All members are encouraged to participate in personal and systemic activities aimed at optimizing physician well-being .
REFERENCES
1 . Kandula UR , Wake AD . Assessment of quality of life among health professionals during COVID-19 : Review . JMDH . 2021 ; 14:3571-3585 .
2 . Dutheil F , Aubert C , Pereira B , et al . Suicide among physicians and health-care workers : a systematic review and meta-analysis . PLos One . 2019 ; 14 ( 12 ): e0226361 .
3 . Kane L . Physician Burnout and Depression Report : Stress , Anxiety and Anger . Available at : https :// www . medscape . com / slideshow / 2022-lifestyle-burnout-6014664 # 2 . January 21 , 2022 .
4 . Sedney C , Dekeseredy P , Elmo R et al . Exploring resident physician wellness at an allopathic medical school in West Virginia : a qualitative study . WVMJ ; 2022 ; 118 ( 1 ): 18-24 .
5 . Calderwood L , Mears JM , Fields SA . Psychological impact of COVID disease-2019 on healthcare workers . WVMJ ; 2022 ; 118 ( 1 ): 26-31 .
6 . Sheppard AB , Hereford C , Persily CA et al . Factors influencing the decision to practice medicine in West Virginia : findings from a statewide survey of physicians . WVMJ ; 2022 ; 118 ( 1 ): 32-39 .
7 . Hereford C , Sheppard AB , Vestal AL et al . Factors influencing the decision to practice medicine in West Virginia : training experiences . WVMJ ; 2022 ; 118 ( 1 ): 42-52 .
6 • www . wvsma . org