Medical Errors Increase Physicians' Stress Levels, Study Finds

Something we sometimes may not think about....BD

According to the survey, physicians involved with a serious medical error were most likely to report higher levels of occupational stress, although one-third of physicians involved in near misses also reported higher stress. Amy Waterman, a psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis and lead author of the study, said the survey findings highlight the need for hospitals to provide support to physicians after medical errors, which she said could push them to quit, become depressed or commit other errors. Among physicians participating in the survey, 10% said hospitals offered sufficient resources to help them manage stress stemming from medical errors (Tanner, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 7/18).