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Risk Of Major Medical Errors When Surgeons Are Burned Out Or Depressed

March 22, 2017

Risk of Major Medical Errors When Surgeons Are Burned Out or Depressed

According to the results of a survey published online in Annals of Surgery, surgeons who are burned out or depressed are more likely to say they had recently committed a major error on the job.

The findings suggest that the mental well-being of the surgeon is associated with a higher rate of medical errors, something that may undermine patient safety.

Nine percent of the 7,905 surgeons who responded to the survey reported having made a major medical mistake in the previous three months. Overall, 40% of the surgeons who responded to the survey said they were burned out.

Mistakes also varied by specialty. Surgeons practicing obstetrics/gynecology and plastic surgery were much less likely to report errors than general surgeons.

If you or someone you love suffered injury or death because of a medical mistake or surgical error, you should contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Berger & Lagnese, LLC for a free consultation.

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