Tip of the week: Keep an eye out for signs of physician depression

Depression can be a stand-alone impairment or it can be linked with burnout. The overall physician suicide rate is between 28 and 40 per 100,000 physicians as compared to the general population rate of 12 per 100,000, according to the Council on Scientific Affairs. The suicide rate for female physicians is approximately four times that of women in the general population, according to the American Journal of Psychiatry. Your medical staff should be vigilant to observe signs and symptoms of burnout and depression, not only for the health and wellbeing of the physician, but also for the safety of the patient, because physicians who are depressed are more likely to make medical errors.

This week’s tips is from A Practical Guide to Managing Disruptive and Impaired Physicians, Second Edition, by R. Dean White, DDS, MS, published by HCPro.