Identifying Solutions for Physician Burnout and Musculoskeletal Disorder Injuries
In the article, “’Physician Heal Thyself’ Isn’t Working,” published in the December 2017 edition of Annals of Surgery, Dr. Adrian Park addresses the alarming rate of burnout among physicians, and applauds the recent recognition of the syndrome by healthcare leaders. In addition to burnout, Dr. Park reveals another epidemic unfolding, particularly for surgeons in the fields of minimally invasive surgery, urology and gynecologic oncology. Reports of musculoskeletal disorder injuries and symptoms suffered as a result of daily work are increasing. So, what can be done?
According to Dr. Park, “Awareness and measurement of the problem is the first important step in taking the necessary strides to remedy it.”
The article can be viewed in its entirety on the Annals of Surgery website here (subscription required)
About Adrian Park, MD
Dr. Adrian Park, an internationally recognized laparoscopic surgeon, is Chairman of the Department of Surgery of Anne Arundel Health System (AAHS).
His previous roles include:
- Chair of Surgery at Dalhousie University
- Chief of Surgery for the Capital District Health Authority
- Vice Chairman of Surgery and Chief of General Surgery at the University of Maryland
- Director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, Head of Surgical Endoscopy and Chief of the Section of Gastrointestinal Surgery for the University of Kentucky
- Professor of surgery and the Commonwealth Professor of Minimally Invasive Surgery, an endowed professorship.
He also currently serves as a Senior Medical Consultant and board member for SE Healthcare, which is a quality, safety, and analytics consulting firm headquartered in Charleston, SC. Its consultants and directors are experienced clinicians and reimbursement experts holding national leadership positions in a variety of medical and surgical specialties.
About the Annals of Surgery
Annals of Surgery is the world's most highly referenced surgery journal, providing the international medical community with information on significant contributions to the advancement of surgical science and practice. Surgeons look to Annals of Surgery first for innovations in practice and technique. Special editorials and feature articles, and articles describing advances in surgical techniques, provide up-to-the-minute coverage of current clinical issues, and monthly review articles cover the most current practice concerns.
