Physicians play a critical role in the healthcare system and are responsible for the care of millions of patients. Unfortunately, the high-stress levels from the long hours associated with being a physician can often lead to burnout and poor health. A study in Ontario, Canada, reported that the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated physicians’ mental health concerns and substance use disorders. Since the onset of the pandemic, there has been an observed increase in self-reported anxiety, depression, and stress levels (Myran et al., 2022).
Physicians are not immune to the problems of substance abuse and addiction and may also turn to substances as a way to cope. This can lead to addiction and other health problems, which can negatively impact the physician’s health and, by extension, the quality of care and health of the population. Physicians’ health directly affects the quality of care they can provide for their patients.
A healthy physician is more likely to feel satisfied and be able to continue working into their later years, providing continuity of care for their patients. Fortunately, there are steps that physicians can take to improve their health and well-being. By eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting adequate sleep, physicians can help ensure that they are physically and mentally prepared to handle the demands of their jobs.
The Addiction Training for Health Professionals program is committed to ensuring that the physician population is as healthy as possible to continue providing high-quality patient care. To achieve this, they have co-created courses to help physicians and patients lead healthier lives. Our free courses, Humanism and Healthcare, Wellness in the Workplace, and Lifestyle Medicine, aim to improve physician and patient physical and mental health. Below is a synopsis of each course, accompanied by the registration link.
Humanism in Health and Healthcare course provides learners with a comprehensive overview of humanism methods, humanistic engagement and allows for the development of skills related to empathy and cultural competency. Learners are also given the opportunity to plan and practice humanistic techniques to assist patients in achieving positive behavioral changes.
Wellness in the Workplace course provides learners with a comprehensive overview of theories behind changes in health behavior, needs assessment and program planning, implementation and evaluation of wellness programs, and a module focusing on substance use disorders and mental health.
Lifestyle Medicine course provides learners with a comprehensive overview of the effects of physical activity, nutrition, sleep, stress, and substance use disorders on health, smoking cessation strategies, and developing and implementing action plans for behavioral change in clinical and personal settings.
Reisha Narine
Author
References
Myran, D. T., Cantor, N., Rhodes, E., Pugliese, M., Hensel, J., Taljaard, M., Talarico, R., Garg, A. X., McArthur, E., Liu, C.-W., Jeyakumar, N., Simon, C., McFadden, T., Gerin-Lajoie, C., Sood, M. M., & Tanuseputro, P. (2022). Physician Health Care Visits for Mental Health and Substance Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ontario, Canada. JAMA Network Open, 5(1), e2143160–e2143160. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.43160
