One in 10 physicians contemplate or attempt suicide annually, according to Medscape's "Physician Suicide Report" for 2022.
Here are eight initiatives to address physician suicide, according to a recent Medscape roundtable with Mary Moffitt, PhD, from Oregon Health and Science University in Portland; Christine Yu Moutler, MD, from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; and Michael Myers, MD, from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in New York City:
- Peer support programs involve colleagues providing emotional support to their peers.
- Opt-in/opt-out support for medical residents partners residents with a counselor as part of their orientation or curriculum.
- Quick, one-question check-in surveys can allow residents and physicians to self-evaluate their mental health with questions such as, "How full is your gas tank?"
- The buddy initiative partners residents with a buddy in and out of residency with whom they can regularly check in.
- An online or social media forum can provide a space for medical students, residents and physicians to share their lived experiences with mental health and what has helped them.
- Interactive Screening Programs provide confidential screening tests for physicians that can connect them to personalized mental health services.
- Honoring confidentiality can encourage more physicians to be open about their personal mental health struggles, especially those who are concerned about having to potentially disclose mental health treatment to medical and state licensing boards.
- Physicians should reach out to support their colleagues who need to take time off to address their mental health, even with a brief expression of care such as a phone call, card or email.