Contents
The AMA is pushing for legislative, regulatory and health system changes to support the mental health needs of medical students, residents and practicing physicians—including laws to ensure confidentiality for seeking care for burnout, advocacy to urge state medical licensing bodies, and health systems and credentialing bodies to remove questions on their applications that may deter physicians from seeking treatment for a mental illness or substance use disorder and reducing administrative burdens that contribute to physician burnout.
Physician burnout poses a major challenge for the U.S. health care workforce and this has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Physician burnout can lead to devastating consequences and requires system-level solutions, as well as initiatives and programs that encourage physicians and medical students to seek help as needed.
The AMA encourages the following advocacy efforts to support medical students, residents and practicing physicians:
For more information, read the AMA’s issue brief (PDF).
The AMA successfully pressed (PDF) for the enactment of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which dedicates resources to support the mental health needs of physicians.
In the Feb. 24, 2022, episode of Moving Medicine, AMA Chief Experience Officer Todd Unger discusses the significance of this act with the co-founder and president of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA.
The AMA is undertaking a national campaign to urge state medical licensing boards, credentialing authorities and others to ensure that applications for licensure and employment do not stigmatize or penalize those who have received treatment for a mental health issue, counseling for burnout or those who are actively in treatment.
The AMA has worked with a number of states so far to support legislative and other efforts that support medical student and physician mental health and burnout.
In this webinar, J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA, co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, discusses the effects that the pandemic and other stressors have had on physicians, and what steps organized medicine and other stakeholders can take now to help physicians get the support and care they need.
The AMA promotes the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.
Download AMA Connect app for iPhone or Android
The best in medicine, delivered to your mailbox

source