Are your docs at risk?

Anne Taylor-Vaisey forwarded a link to an interesting article in Medical Education
Online about the results of a survey of physician health behaviors at an academic medical center. The survey found that 29 percent had "current depressive symptoms," 6 percent were at risk for alcohol abuse, and almost 5 percent used sedatives or hypnotics without a prescription in the prior 12 months. Those most likely to be depressed were those who live alone, have full-time salaried faculty status, those who don't have a primary care physician, women, and those older than 50. If the demographics of your CME activity's participants match these, it might be time to consider a "physician, heal thyself" program. I can't imagine that those who are in the depths of depression, alcohol abuse, or other psychiatric problems are going to be very receptive to learning, no matter how great your activity is. What else can CME providers do to address this issue? Anne Taylor-Vaisey forwarded a link to an interesting article in Medical Education
Online about the results of a survey of physician health behaviors at an academic medical center. The survey found that 29 percent had "current depressive symptoms," 6 percent were at risk for alcohol abuse, and almost 5 percent used sedatives or hypnotics without a prescription in the prior 12 months. Those most likely to be depressed were those who live alone, have full-time salaried faculty status, those who don't have a primary care physician, women, and those older than 50. If the demographics of your CME activity's participants match these, it might be time to consider a "physician, heal thyself" program. I can't imagine that those who are in the depths of depression, alcohol abuse, or other psychiatric problems are going to be very receptive to learning, no matter how great your activity is. What else can CME providers do to address this issue?