Burnout or depression makes surgeons more likely to admit they committed major surgical errors, according to an American College of Surgeons study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic.
Charles M. Balch, MD, a professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins and one of the study's lead authors, says medical errors are often blamed on physician fatigue, but the report's findings, which appear in the Annals of Surgery, indicate that a surgeon's mental state might play a more significant role than previously believed.
The study centered on a June 2008 survey sent to 7,905 surgeons that measured 3 elements of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. According to the study's findings, surgeons who rated high on depersonalization and emotional exhaustion scoring scales were more likely to report errors. The study also found that gynecologic and plastic surgeons were much less likely to report errors than general surgeons.
Overall, 40% of respondents were burned out, 30% showed symptoms of depression and 28% had a quality of life score below the population norm. The survey revealed that only 36% of surgeons felt like they had enough time to pursue personal interests or spend time with family, and half would recommend a career in medicine to their children.
"The most important thing for those of us who work with other surgeons who do not appear well is to address it with them so that they can get the help they need," says Julie A. Freischlag, MD, chair of the department of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and one of the study's authors.
Daniel Cook
