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Lucas Franki is an associate editor for MDedge News, and has been with the company since 2014. He has a BA in English from Penn State University and is an Eagle Scout.
A bladder brewery and a neurosurgical violin solo
One bikram, one shakti, one beer
Novelty yoga is a thing, and there’s no stopping it now.
There’s cat yoga, aerial yoga (performed in a harness or hammock suspended above the ground), karaoke yoga, laughter yoga (done while listening to the LOTME podcast, no doubt), snake yoga, toega (yoga for toes), and, of course, goat yoga. So what’s next, beer yoga?
Why, yes, it is beer yoga.
In our travels around the dark, deserted corners of the Internet, we came across an article on Educatedbox.com that said a beer yoga class “involves picking up a beer, drinking it, and putting it back down again, in many different ways.”
Pretty straightforward. Then we saw a photo on Germany’s Bieryoga.de that showed all of the participants doing the tree pose while balancing a beer bottle on their heads. Not so straightforward. Trust us, we tried.
Bieryoga explains that “the exuberance that comes with drinking beer and the body awareness of yoga can be combined into an energizing experience. In the beer and now.”
How can we say no to “in the beer and now”? Well, we can’t, but we do have one teeny tiny problem: We’ve gotten into “downward-facing dog with IPA on rump,” and now we can’t get up.
Little help … anyone?
A surgical symphony
A patient playing the violin during her own brain surgery? That sounds way more interesting than paying hundreds of dollars to attend any old normal concert.
Violinist Dagmar Turner found out in 2013 that she had a brain tumor that was gradually advancing in size. After learning the tumor needed to be removed, Ms. Turner worried she might lose her talents if the parts of her brain crucial to playing the violin were destroyed.
Luckily, her well-orchestrated surgical team composed a plan to ensure they spared the vital parts of the brain used when playing the violin: They would wake their patient during brain surgery and have her play her violin. Yes, you read that right – she played the violin during surgery to help her surgeons make certain there was no damage to the violin-related areas of her brain.
Personally, we here at the profit-minded Bureau of LOTME believe the surgical team missed a perfect opportunity to sell tickets to this event. Ms. Turner successfully made it through the surgery both 90% tumor free and fully able to play her violin. We love a happy ending! Bravo! Though maybe not “Encore!”
Belly up to the bar, boys
Quick, what would be the worst superpower? No doubt your head is flooding with ideas, each more comical than the last. But did you think of “able to pee beer?”
That’s right, it’s the return of an old LOTME favorite – auto-brewery syndrome. But this time, there’s a twist.
Our daring hero in today’s exciting case report from Annals of Internal Medicine is a 61-year-old woman from Pittsburgh who presented with liver damage and poorly controlled diabetes, and who sought placement on the liver transplant list.
But hang on, the woman’s history seemed to indicate her liver problems stemmed from alcohol addiction, because her urine tests were always positive for alcohol, and the current tests said the same. Hmm, this is sounding slightly villainous!
There were, however, some discrepancies. The woman didn’t appear to be intoxicated during clinic visits, tests for ethanol metabolites were negative while urine tests for ethanol were positive, and there were large quantities of glucose and budding yeast in the urine. Something strange was going on, so the doctors decided to dig deeper.
The yeast in question was Candida glabrata, which is closely related to brewer’s yeast. The doctors found high levels of ethanol production in the urine, suggesting that the yeast was fermenting sugar inside the bladder. The patient was quite literally urinating alcohol, becoming the first documented case in a living person of what the doctors dubbed “urinary auto-brewery syndrome.”
As much as we love a good drink here at LOTME world headquarters, we’ll have to pass on the urine cocktail. Just don’t tell all the beer yoga enthusiasts, this seems right up their alley. You know, positive natural energy flow or something like that.
One bikram, one shakti, one beer
Novelty yoga is a thing, and there’s no stopping it now.
There’s cat yoga, aerial yoga (performed in a harness or hammock suspended above the ground), karaoke yoga, laughter yoga (done while listening to the LOTME podcast, no doubt), snake yoga, toega (yoga for toes), and, of course, goat yoga. So what’s next, beer yoga?
Why, yes, it is beer yoga.
In our travels around the dark, deserted corners of the Internet, we came across an article on Educatedbox.com that said a beer yoga class “involves picking up a beer, drinking it, and putting it back down again, in many different ways.”
Pretty straightforward. Then we saw a photo on Germany’s Bieryoga.de that showed all of the participants doing the tree pose while balancing a beer bottle on their heads. Not so straightforward. Trust us, we tried.
Bieryoga explains that “the exuberance that comes with drinking beer and the body awareness of yoga can be combined into an energizing experience. In the beer and now.”
How can we say no to “in the beer and now”? Well, we can’t, but we do have one teeny tiny problem: We’ve gotten into “downward-facing dog with IPA on rump,” and now we can’t get up.
Little help … anyone?
A surgical symphony
A patient playing the violin during her own brain surgery? That sounds way more interesting than paying hundreds of dollars to attend any old normal concert.
Violinist Dagmar Turner found out in 2013 that she had a brain tumor that was gradually advancing in size. After learning the tumor needed to be removed, Ms. Turner worried she might lose her talents if the parts of her brain crucial to playing the violin were destroyed.
Luckily, her well-orchestrated surgical team composed a plan to ensure they spared the vital parts of the brain used when playing the violin: They would wake their patient during brain surgery and have her play her violin. Yes, you read that right – she played the violin during surgery to help her surgeons make certain there was no damage to the violin-related areas of her brain.
Personally, we here at the profit-minded Bureau of LOTME believe the surgical team missed a perfect opportunity to sell tickets to this event. Ms. Turner successfully made it through the surgery both 90% tumor free and fully able to play her violin. We love a happy ending! Bravo! Though maybe not “Encore!”
Belly up to the bar, boys
Quick, what would be the worst superpower? No doubt your head is flooding with ideas, each more comical than the last. But did you think of “able to pee beer?”
That’s right, it’s the return of an old LOTME favorite – auto-brewery syndrome. But this time, there’s a twist.
Our daring hero in today’s exciting case report from Annals of Internal Medicine is a 61-year-old woman from Pittsburgh who presented with liver damage and poorly controlled diabetes, and who sought placement on the liver transplant list.
But hang on, the woman’s history seemed to indicate her liver problems stemmed from alcohol addiction, because her urine tests were always positive for alcohol, and the current tests said the same. Hmm, this is sounding slightly villainous!
There were, however, some discrepancies. The woman didn’t appear to be intoxicated during clinic visits, tests for ethanol metabolites were negative while urine tests for ethanol were positive, and there were large quantities of glucose and budding yeast in the urine. Something strange was going on, so the doctors decided to dig deeper.
The yeast in question was Candida glabrata, which is closely related to brewer’s yeast. The doctors found high levels of ethanol production in the urine, suggesting that the yeast was fermenting sugar inside the bladder. The patient was quite literally urinating alcohol, becoming the first documented case in a living person of what the doctors dubbed “urinary auto-brewery syndrome.”
As much as we love a good drink here at LOTME world headquarters, we’ll have to pass on the urine cocktail. Just don’t tell all the beer yoga enthusiasts, this seems right up their alley. You know, positive natural energy flow or something like that.
One bikram, one shakti, one beer
Novelty yoga is a thing, and there’s no stopping it now.
There’s cat yoga, aerial yoga (performed in a harness or hammock suspended above the ground), karaoke yoga, laughter yoga (done while listening to the LOTME podcast, no doubt), snake yoga, toega (yoga for toes), and, of course, goat yoga. So what’s next, beer yoga?
Why, yes, it is beer yoga.
In our travels around the dark, deserted corners of the Internet, we came across an article on Educatedbox.com that said a beer yoga class “involves picking up a beer, drinking it, and putting it back down again, in many different ways.”
Pretty straightforward. Then we saw a photo on Germany’s Bieryoga.de that showed all of the participants doing the tree pose while balancing a beer bottle on their heads. Not so straightforward. Trust us, we tried.
Bieryoga explains that “the exuberance that comes with drinking beer and the body awareness of yoga can be combined into an energizing experience. In the beer and now.”
How can we say no to “in the beer and now”? Well, we can’t, but we do have one teeny tiny problem: We’ve gotten into “downward-facing dog with IPA on rump,” and now we can’t get up.
Little help … anyone?
A surgical symphony
A patient playing the violin during her own brain surgery? That sounds way more interesting than paying hundreds of dollars to attend any old normal concert.
Violinist Dagmar Turner found out in 2013 that she had a brain tumor that was gradually advancing in size. After learning the tumor needed to be removed, Ms. Turner worried she might lose her talents if the parts of her brain crucial to playing the violin were destroyed.
Luckily, her well-orchestrated surgical team composed a plan to ensure they spared the vital parts of the brain used when playing the violin: They would wake their patient during brain surgery and have her play her violin. Yes, you read that right – she played the violin during surgery to help her surgeons make certain there was no damage to the violin-related areas of her brain.
Personally, we here at the profit-minded Bureau of LOTME believe the surgical team missed a perfect opportunity to sell tickets to this event. Ms. Turner successfully made it through the surgery both 90% tumor free and fully able to play her violin. We love a happy ending! Bravo! Though maybe not “Encore!”
Belly up to the bar, boys
Quick, what would be the worst superpower? No doubt your head is flooding with ideas, each more comical than the last. But did you think of “able to pee beer?”
That’s right, it’s the return of an old LOTME favorite – auto-brewery syndrome. But this time, there’s a twist.
Our daring hero in today’s exciting case report from Annals of Internal Medicine is a 61-year-old woman from Pittsburgh who presented with liver damage and poorly controlled diabetes, and who sought placement on the liver transplant list.
But hang on, the woman’s history seemed to indicate her liver problems stemmed from alcohol addiction, because her urine tests were always positive for alcohol, and the current tests said the same. Hmm, this is sounding slightly villainous!
There were, however, some discrepancies. The woman didn’t appear to be intoxicated during clinic visits, tests for ethanol metabolites were negative while urine tests for ethanol were positive, and there were large quantities of glucose and budding yeast in the urine. Something strange was going on, so the doctors decided to dig deeper.
The yeast in question was Candida glabrata, which is closely related to brewer’s yeast. The doctors found high levels of ethanol production in the urine, suggesting that the yeast was fermenting sugar inside the bladder. The patient was quite literally urinating alcohol, becoming the first documented case in a living person of what the doctors dubbed “urinary auto-brewery syndrome.”
As much as we love a good drink here at LOTME world headquarters, we’ll have to pass on the urine cocktail. Just don’t tell all the beer yoga enthusiasts, this seems right up their alley. You know, positive natural energy flow or something like that.
TNF-alpha, oxidative stress disturbance may play role in schizophrenia pathophysiology
Disturbance of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–alpha and oxidative stress status may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, new study results suggest.
In a study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, the investigators collected blood samples from 119 patients with schizophrenia and 135 controls. Along with TNF-alpha, assays for the oxidative stress markers superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The average illness duration in patients with schizophrenia was 8.23 months, and their average total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score was 87.64, reported Shiguang Zhu of Nanjing (China) Medical University and associates.
Serum levels of TNF-alpha and MDA were significantly higher (P = .007 for both), and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower (P = .005), in patients with schizophrenia, compared with controls, after Bonferroni correction. The interaction between GSH-Px and TNF-alpha was negatively associated with the presence of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-0.99; P = .001), and the interaction between MDA and TNF-alpha was positively associated with schizophrenia risk (OR, 1.61, 95% CI, 1.16-2.24, P = .004).
“It is worth[while] to note that [the] immune-inflammatory and oxidative stress hypothesis are just one of the theories for schizophrenic development, and other neurobiological theories such as neurodevelopmental dysfunction and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones disturbance should be considered,” the investigators wrote. However, their study “suggests that TNF-alpha and disturbance of oxidative stress status as well as their interaction may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.”
The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical Engineering Foundation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health. The investigators reported that they had no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: Zhu S et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Jan 30. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104595.
Disturbance of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–alpha and oxidative stress status may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, new study results suggest.
In a study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, the investigators collected blood samples from 119 patients with schizophrenia and 135 controls. Along with TNF-alpha, assays for the oxidative stress markers superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The average illness duration in patients with schizophrenia was 8.23 months, and their average total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score was 87.64, reported Shiguang Zhu of Nanjing (China) Medical University and associates.
Serum levels of TNF-alpha and MDA were significantly higher (P = .007 for both), and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower (P = .005), in patients with schizophrenia, compared with controls, after Bonferroni correction. The interaction between GSH-Px and TNF-alpha was negatively associated with the presence of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-0.99; P = .001), and the interaction between MDA and TNF-alpha was positively associated with schizophrenia risk (OR, 1.61, 95% CI, 1.16-2.24, P = .004).
“It is worth[while] to note that [the] immune-inflammatory and oxidative stress hypothesis are just one of the theories for schizophrenic development, and other neurobiological theories such as neurodevelopmental dysfunction and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones disturbance should be considered,” the investigators wrote. However, their study “suggests that TNF-alpha and disturbance of oxidative stress status as well as their interaction may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.”
The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical Engineering Foundation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health. The investigators reported that they had no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: Zhu S et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Jan 30. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104595.
Disturbance of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–alpha and oxidative stress status may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, new study results suggest.
In a study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology, the investigators collected blood samples from 119 patients with schizophrenia and 135 controls. Along with TNF-alpha, assays for the oxidative stress markers superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The average illness duration in patients with schizophrenia was 8.23 months, and their average total Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale score was 87.64, reported Shiguang Zhu of Nanjing (China) Medical University and associates.
Serum levels of TNF-alpha and MDA were significantly higher (P = .007 for both), and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower (P = .005), in patients with schizophrenia, compared with controls, after Bonferroni correction. The interaction between GSH-Px and TNF-alpha was negatively associated with the presence of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.98-0.99; P = .001), and the interaction between MDA and TNF-alpha was positively associated with schizophrenia risk (OR, 1.61, 95% CI, 1.16-2.24, P = .004).
“It is worth[while] to note that [the] immune-inflammatory and oxidative stress hypothesis are just one of the theories for schizophrenic development, and other neurobiological theories such as neurodevelopmental dysfunction and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis hormones disturbance should be considered,” the investigators wrote. However, their study “suggests that TNF-alpha and disturbance of oxidative stress status as well as their interaction may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.”
The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical Engineering Foundation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health. The investigators reported that they had no conflicts of interest.
SOURCE: Zhu S et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2020 Jan 30. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104595.
FROM PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
Work happiness about average for ob.gyns.
Ob.gyns. are in the middle of the pack when it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of ob.gyns. reported that they were very happy at work, and 54% said that they were very happy outside of work, according to the Medscape report. Dermatologists were most likely to be happy at work at 41%, and rheumatologists were most likely to be happy outside of work at 60%.
The rate of burnout was higher in ob.gyns. than in physicians overall at 46% versus 41%; notably, 19% of all ob.gyns. reported being both burned out and depressed. The most commonly reported reasons for burnout were too many bureaucratic tasks (57%), increased time devoted to EHRs (36%), and insufficient compensation/reimbursement (35%).
The most common ways ob.gyns. dealt with burnout was by isolating themselves from others (50%), exercising (49%), and talking with friends/family (44%). About 48% of ob.gyns. took 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 15% of ob.gyns. have contemplated suicide, and 1% have attempted suicide; 80% have never contemplated suicide. Only 21% reported that they were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 63% saying they would not consider and had not utilized professional help in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
This report definitely calls attention for improving both individual and organizational wellness. Historically, facing the challenges in medicine is something that we’ve come to expect as students and trainees. This normalized expectation – in addition to limited organizational support and potential lack of guaranteed privacy with regard to mental health concerns – explains the limited motivation to seek help. We knew about the long hours, bureaucracy, and pay inequity when we signed on. The main difference now is the greater emphasis on the value of addressing these issues on a greater scale. 
Physicians who are well can have a greater capacity to be productive. It benefits organizations substantially when they employ physicians who are happy and continue to find meaning in their work.
This issue clearly is not unique to ob.gyns. It’s also hard to miss the irony of advocating for patient wellness without prioritizing our own. There’s a greater discrepancy with regard to burnout and gender because of the “second shift” that women tend to take on at home.
Catherine Cansino, MD, MPH, is associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Davis. She is a member of the Ob.Gyn. News editorial advisory board.
This report definitely calls attention for improving both individual and organizational wellness. Historically, facing the challenges in medicine is something that we’ve come to expect as students and trainees. This normalized expectation – in addition to limited organizational support and potential lack of guaranteed privacy with regard to mental health concerns – explains the limited motivation to seek help. We knew about the long hours, bureaucracy, and pay inequity when we signed on. The main difference now is the greater emphasis on the value of addressing these issues on a greater scale.
Physicians who are well can have a greater capacity to be productive. It benefits organizations substantially when they employ physicians who are happy and continue to find meaning in their work.
This issue clearly is not unique to ob.gyns. It’s also hard to miss the irony of advocating for patient wellness without prioritizing our own. There’s a greater discrepancy with regard to burnout and gender because of the “second shift” that women tend to take on at home.
Catherine Cansino, MD, MPH, is associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Davis. She is a member of the Ob.Gyn. News editorial advisory board.
This report definitely calls attention for improving both individual and organizational wellness. Historically, facing the challenges in medicine is something that we’ve come to expect as students and trainees. This normalized expectation – in addition to limited organizational support and potential lack of guaranteed privacy with regard to mental health concerns – explains the limited motivation to seek help. We knew about the long hours, bureaucracy, and pay inequity when we signed on. The main difference now is the greater emphasis on the value of addressing these issues on a greater scale.
Physicians who are well can have a greater capacity to be productive. It benefits organizations substantially when they employ physicians who are happy and continue to find meaning in their work.
This issue clearly is not unique to ob.gyns. It’s also hard to miss the irony of advocating for patient wellness without prioritizing our own. There’s a greater discrepancy with regard to burnout and gender because of the “second shift” that women tend to take on at home.
Catherine Cansino, MD, MPH, is associate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Davis. She is a member of the Ob.Gyn. News editorial advisory board.
Ob.gyns. are in the middle of the pack when it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of ob.gyns. reported that they were very happy at work, and 54% said that they were very happy outside of work, according to the Medscape report. Dermatologists were most likely to be happy at work at 41%, and rheumatologists were most likely to be happy outside of work at 60%.
The rate of burnout was higher in ob.gyns. than in physicians overall at 46% versus 41%; notably, 19% of all ob.gyns. reported being both burned out and depressed. The most commonly reported reasons for burnout were too many bureaucratic tasks (57%), increased time devoted to EHRs (36%), and insufficient compensation/reimbursement (35%).
The most common ways ob.gyns. dealt with burnout was by isolating themselves from others (50%), exercising (49%), and talking with friends/family (44%). About 48% of ob.gyns. took 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 15% of ob.gyns. have contemplated suicide, and 1% have attempted suicide; 80% have never contemplated suicide. Only 21% reported that they were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 63% saying they would not consider and had not utilized professional help in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Ob.gyns. are in the middle of the pack when it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of ob.gyns. reported that they were very happy at work, and 54% said that they were very happy outside of work, according to the Medscape report. Dermatologists were most likely to be happy at work at 41%, and rheumatologists were most likely to be happy outside of work at 60%.
The rate of burnout was higher in ob.gyns. than in physicians overall at 46% versus 41%; notably, 19% of all ob.gyns. reported being both burned out and depressed. The most commonly reported reasons for burnout were too many bureaucratic tasks (57%), increased time devoted to EHRs (36%), and insufficient compensation/reimbursement (35%).
The most common ways ob.gyns. dealt with burnout was by isolating themselves from others (50%), exercising (49%), and talking with friends/family (44%). About 48% of ob.gyns. took 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 15% of ob.gyns. have contemplated suicide, and 1% have attempted suicide; 80% have never contemplated suicide. Only 21% reported that they were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 63% saying they would not consider and had not utilized professional help in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Texas’ tasty heart cake and Gotham’s coronavirus robot
Make dialysis great again!
Now, you’re probably thinking that Mr. Nelson tried to bring in his dog or some other animal, and that’s surely an issue of hygiene. But no, Mr. Gibson wasn’t bringing in a dog or cat, or even a squirrel or turkey, but a president.
Specifically, Mr. Nelson’s emotional support was one President Donald J. Trump.
Okay, it wasn’t actually Mr. Trump himself, but a life-sized (bigly?) cardboard cutout of the president smiling and offering two thumbs up. This, um, unusual choice was based on the president’s signing of an executive order in July 2019 launching an initiative promoting kidney disease awareness.
Mr. Nelson had previously been bringing in smaller images of the president. But when he brought in the large cutout – made by his son – a social worker at the center told him that the president couldn’t stay, adding that “this is not a Trump rally,” according to Mr. Nelson.
Naturally, this has caused quite a rift. Mr. Nelson feels that his freedom of expression and speech has been violated, and Fresenius says they can’t allow a support item so big because of those pesky health and safety regulations. Typical doctors.
The actual President Trump has yet to respond to this odd situation, but no doubt he’ll offer Fresenius a hearty “you’re fired!”
Your friendly neighborhood pandemic robot
Robots, of course!
A shiny new robot in Times Square not only can recognize symptoms of the coronavirus, it also can provide information to promote prevention and stop the spread. And if you look like a tourist, it’ll try to sell you half-priced tickets for a Big Apple bus tour. Move over, smartphones; having a robot analyze my symptoms sounds way more fun than frantically googling them.
The “Promobot” was designed with a friendly face and welcoming smile – that’s how you know the robot isn’t a local.
Interested users can interact with the Promobot’s iPad, which has a questionnaire regarding signs and symptoms of the coronavirus. Promobot doesn’t actually physically detect the virus (it’s a robot, not a blood test), but the questionnaire asks about general symptoms of coronavirus. At the end, the robot gives advice on how to proceed if the answers indicate the virus is present (hopefully without any panic-inducing fanfare).
Ah, New York: Where even the robots are friendlier than the residents.
Beating? No. Delicious? Yes
No, it’s a cake!
Heart!
Cake!
Wait, you’re both right. It’s two treats in one! It’s a heart and a cake. It’s the cake that looks like a heart.
Seriously, it really looks like a heart. It looks like it should still be beating. We’re talking anatomically correct and glistening with just-pulled-from-the-body freshness.
This latest wonder of the baking world comes from Crabby Cakes in Portland, Tex., just across the Nueces Bay Causeway from Corpus Christi. Just get on West Broadway Avenue from the I-181 frontage road, then make a right onto Wildcat Drive and a left at Maple Drive.
Crabby Cakes owner Jessica Wolfe is a big fan of horror movies and has even visited some of the sites where scenes were shot for “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” She told the Dallas Morning News that she “was trying to do something different for Valentine’s Day, cake-wise.”
She posted a video of the cake on the bakery’s Facebook page and it went viral, gobbling up over a million views in less than a week, the Morning News reported. Each cake costs $70 and will feed about five people, but the bakery cannot ship them out of state.
Among the cake-generated surprises was the attention she got from the health care industry. “Nurses, doctor’s offices, and graduates want the hearts,” Ms. Wolfe told the Morning News. “But they also want livers, kidneys, and lungs.”
Let’s just hope there aren’t any transplant surgeons calling.
Make dialysis great again!
Now, you’re probably thinking that Mr. Nelson tried to bring in his dog or some other animal, and that’s surely an issue of hygiene. But no, Mr. Gibson wasn’t bringing in a dog or cat, or even a squirrel or turkey, but a president.
Specifically, Mr. Nelson’s emotional support was one President Donald J. Trump.
Okay, it wasn’t actually Mr. Trump himself, but a life-sized (bigly?) cardboard cutout of the president smiling and offering two thumbs up. This, um, unusual choice was based on the president’s signing of an executive order in July 2019 launching an initiative promoting kidney disease awareness.
Mr. Nelson had previously been bringing in smaller images of the president. But when he brought in the large cutout – made by his son – a social worker at the center told him that the president couldn’t stay, adding that “this is not a Trump rally,” according to Mr. Nelson.
Naturally, this has caused quite a rift. Mr. Nelson feels that his freedom of expression and speech has been violated, and Fresenius says they can’t allow a support item so big because of those pesky health and safety regulations. Typical doctors.
The actual President Trump has yet to respond to this odd situation, but no doubt he’ll offer Fresenius a hearty “you’re fired!”
Your friendly neighborhood pandemic robot
Robots, of course!
A shiny new robot in Times Square not only can recognize symptoms of the coronavirus, it also can provide information to promote prevention and stop the spread. And if you look like a tourist, it’ll try to sell you half-priced tickets for a Big Apple bus tour. Move over, smartphones; having a robot analyze my symptoms sounds way more fun than frantically googling them.
The “Promobot” was designed with a friendly face and welcoming smile – that’s how you know the robot isn’t a local.
Interested users can interact with the Promobot’s iPad, which has a questionnaire regarding signs and symptoms of the coronavirus. Promobot doesn’t actually physically detect the virus (it’s a robot, not a blood test), but the questionnaire asks about general symptoms of coronavirus. At the end, the robot gives advice on how to proceed if the answers indicate the virus is present (hopefully without any panic-inducing fanfare).
Ah, New York: Where even the robots are friendlier than the residents.
Beating? No. Delicious? Yes
No, it’s a cake!
Heart!
Cake!
Wait, you’re both right. It’s two treats in one! It’s a heart and a cake. It’s the cake that looks like a heart.
Seriously, it really looks like a heart. It looks like it should still be beating. We’re talking anatomically correct and glistening with just-pulled-from-the-body freshness.
This latest wonder of the baking world comes from Crabby Cakes in Portland, Tex., just across the Nueces Bay Causeway from Corpus Christi. Just get on West Broadway Avenue from the I-181 frontage road, then make a right onto Wildcat Drive and a left at Maple Drive.
Crabby Cakes owner Jessica Wolfe is a big fan of horror movies and has even visited some of the sites where scenes were shot for “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” She told the Dallas Morning News that she “was trying to do something different for Valentine’s Day, cake-wise.”
She posted a video of the cake on the bakery’s Facebook page and it went viral, gobbling up over a million views in less than a week, the Morning News reported. Each cake costs $70 and will feed about five people, but the bakery cannot ship them out of state.
Among the cake-generated surprises was the attention she got from the health care industry. “Nurses, doctor’s offices, and graduates want the hearts,” Ms. Wolfe told the Morning News. “But they also want livers, kidneys, and lungs.”
Let’s just hope there aren’t any transplant surgeons calling.
Make dialysis great again!
Now, you’re probably thinking that Mr. Nelson tried to bring in his dog or some other animal, and that’s surely an issue of hygiene. But no, Mr. Gibson wasn’t bringing in a dog or cat, or even a squirrel or turkey, but a president.
Specifically, Mr. Nelson’s emotional support was one President Donald J. Trump.
Okay, it wasn’t actually Mr. Trump himself, but a life-sized (bigly?) cardboard cutout of the president smiling and offering two thumbs up. This, um, unusual choice was based on the president’s signing of an executive order in July 2019 launching an initiative promoting kidney disease awareness.
Mr. Nelson had previously been bringing in smaller images of the president. But when he brought in the large cutout – made by his son – a social worker at the center told him that the president couldn’t stay, adding that “this is not a Trump rally,” according to Mr. Nelson.
Naturally, this has caused quite a rift. Mr. Nelson feels that his freedom of expression and speech has been violated, and Fresenius says they can’t allow a support item so big because of those pesky health and safety regulations. Typical doctors.
The actual President Trump has yet to respond to this odd situation, but no doubt he’ll offer Fresenius a hearty “you’re fired!”
Your friendly neighborhood pandemic robot
Robots, of course!
A shiny new robot in Times Square not only can recognize symptoms of the coronavirus, it also can provide information to promote prevention and stop the spread. And if you look like a tourist, it’ll try to sell you half-priced tickets for a Big Apple bus tour. Move over, smartphones; having a robot analyze my symptoms sounds way more fun than frantically googling them.
The “Promobot” was designed with a friendly face and welcoming smile – that’s how you know the robot isn’t a local.
Interested users can interact with the Promobot’s iPad, which has a questionnaire regarding signs and symptoms of the coronavirus. Promobot doesn’t actually physically detect the virus (it’s a robot, not a blood test), but the questionnaire asks about general symptoms of coronavirus. At the end, the robot gives advice on how to proceed if the answers indicate the virus is present (hopefully without any panic-inducing fanfare).
Ah, New York: Where even the robots are friendlier than the residents.
Beating? No. Delicious? Yes
No, it’s a cake!
Heart!
Cake!
Wait, you’re both right. It’s two treats in one! It’s a heart and a cake. It’s the cake that looks like a heart.
Seriously, it really looks like a heart. It looks like it should still be beating. We’re talking anatomically correct and glistening with just-pulled-from-the-body freshness.
This latest wonder of the baking world comes from Crabby Cakes in Portland, Tex., just across the Nueces Bay Causeway from Corpus Christi. Just get on West Broadway Avenue from the I-181 frontage road, then make a right onto Wildcat Drive and a left at Maple Drive.
Crabby Cakes owner Jessica Wolfe is a big fan of horror movies and has even visited some of the sites where scenes were shot for “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” She told the Dallas Morning News that she “was trying to do something different for Valentine’s Day, cake-wise.”
She posted a video of the cake on the bakery’s Facebook page and it went viral, gobbling up over a million views in less than a week, the Morning News reported. Each cake costs $70 and will feed about five people, but the bakery cannot ship them out of state.
Among the cake-generated surprises was the attention she got from the health care industry. “Nurses, doctor’s offices, and graduates want the hearts,” Ms. Wolfe told the Morning News. “But they also want livers, kidneys, and lungs.”
Let’s just hope there aren’t any transplant surgeons calling.
ID physicians twice as happy outside work than at work
Infectious disease physicians are more than twice as likely to be happy outside of work than in the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 25% of infectious disease physicians reported that they were very happy in the office, compared with dermatologists, who had the highest rate of in-office happiness at 41%, according to the Medscape report. The out-of-office happiness rate rose to 52% for ID physicians, compared with the top spot of rheumatologists, who reported a 60% happiness rate.
The burnout rate for ID physicians was 46%, compared with 41% for physicians overall, with 12% of ID physicians reporting that they were both burned out and depressed. Having too many bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported reason for ID physician burnout at 49%, followed by a lack of respect from colleagues at 46% and spending too much time at work at 43%.
ID physicians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (49%), exercising (48%), and isolating themselves from others (43%). In addition, 52% of ID physicians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, with 33% of ID physicians saying that they took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 14% of ID physicians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, with 0% reporting that they’d attempted it; 80% reported that they’d never thought about it. About 54% said they weren’t considering seeking professional help for symptoms of burnout or depression, 13% said they’d used therapy in the past but weren’t currently looking, 7% said they were planning on seeking help, and 17% said they were currently seeking help.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Infectious disease physicians are more than twice as likely to be happy outside of work than in the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 25% of infectious disease physicians reported that they were very happy in the office, compared with dermatologists, who had the highest rate of in-office happiness at 41%, according to the Medscape report. The out-of-office happiness rate rose to 52% for ID physicians, compared with the top spot of rheumatologists, who reported a 60% happiness rate.
The burnout rate for ID physicians was 46%, compared with 41% for physicians overall, with 12% of ID physicians reporting that they were both burned out and depressed. Having too many bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported reason for ID physician burnout at 49%, followed by a lack of respect from colleagues at 46% and spending too much time at work at 43%.
ID physicians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (49%), exercising (48%), and isolating themselves from others (43%). In addition, 52% of ID physicians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, with 33% of ID physicians saying that they took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 14% of ID physicians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, with 0% reporting that they’d attempted it; 80% reported that they’d never thought about it. About 54% said they weren’t considering seeking professional help for symptoms of burnout or depression, 13% said they’d used therapy in the past but weren’t currently looking, 7% said they were planning on seeking help, and 17% said they were currently seeking help.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Infectious disease physicians are more than twice as likely to be happy outside of work than in the office, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 25% of infectious disease physicians reported that they were very happy in the office, compared with dermatologists, who had the highest rate of in-office happiness at 41%, according to the Medscape report. The out-of-office happiness rate rose to 52% for ID physicians, compared with the top spot of rheumatologists, who reported a 60% happiness rate.
The burnout rate for ID physicians was 46%, compared with 41% for physicians overall, with 12% of ID physicians reporting that they were both burned out and depressed. Having too many bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported reason for ID physician burnout at 49%, followed by a lack of respect from colleagues at 46% and spending too much time at work at 43%.
ID physicians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (49%), exercising (48%), and isolating themselves from others (43%). In addition, 52% of ID physicians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, with 33% of ID physicians saying that they took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 14% of ID physicians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, with 0% reporting that they’d attempted it; 80% reported that they’d never thought about it. About 54% said they weren’t considering seeking professional help for symptoms of burnout or depression, 13% said they’d used therapy in the past but weren’t currently looking, 7% said they were planning on seeking help, and 17% said they were currently seeking help.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Rheumatologists best at finding happiness outside office
Rheumatologists may have a tough time in the office, but they know how to enjoy themselves once the workday ends, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, & Burnout Report.
In the Medscape survey, less than one-quarter of rheumatologists reported being happy at work, the same as internal medicine, with only neurologists reporting worse at-work happiness rates. While all measured specialties were happier outside of work than at work, no specialty had more of a gap than rheumatologists, rising from 22% at work to 60% outside of work.
The rate of burnout in rheumatologists was slightly higher than that seen in physicians overall (45% vs. 41%), with 78% of rheumatologists reporting that the growing number of bureaucratic tasks contributed most to burnout, followed by increased time devoted to EHRs (43%) and spending too much time at work (40%).
Rheumatologists most commonly dealt with burnout through exercise (46%), isolating themselves from others (45%), and talking with family/friends (44%). Rheumatologists were about average when it came to taking vacation, with 47% taking 3-4 weeks off of work, compared with 44% of all physicians; only 29% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
More than 90% of rheumatologists reported that they’d never contemplated suicide, with only 6% reported that they’d thought about it and none reporting that they’d attempted suicide. Similarly, 79% of rheumatologists reported that they are not and do not plan to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 10% saying they were currently seeing professional help and 8% saying they had been to therapy but were not anymore.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
It’s good that the issue of burnout is recognized and being discussed. It seems to me that our burnout is largely caused by externalities (such as patient complexity and administrative burdens).
On top of all that, there are administrative burdens. EHRs are a net-positive, but that doesn’t make charting any less painful. Add to that the daily insurance battles for life-saving treatments, which take up hours that are not compensated. And we still have to worry about patient satisfaction because we have to worry about our reputation.
So while encouraging “self-care” has some benefits, it does not address the bigger, more systemic issues. Of course the field of rheumatology is challenging – that cannot be helped. But effort should be made to alleviate the administrative burdens. Let us know that we are valued by listening to our grievances and addressing them. Don’t be dismissive.
Here are some examples that I think might help:
- Hospitals, physician practices, and health insurers could be audited for efficiency.
- Letting providers spend more time with patients (which I have to say my institution is really good about.)
- Provide better support staff. Really talented people managing patient phone calls and insurance prior authorizations will take a huge burden off of physicians’ shoulders.
- Explore the benefits of scribes. I know some doctors at our institution are lobbying them; I know using them is costly, but if it keeps the doctors happy and productive, is that not worth it?
Karmela K. Chan, MD , is a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.
It’s good that the issue of burnout is recognized and being discussed. It seems to me that our burnout is largely caused by externalities (such as patient complexity and administrative burdens).
On top of all that, there are administrative burdens. EHRs are a net-positive, but that doesn’t make charting any less painful. Add to that the daily insurance battles for life-saving treatments, which take up hours that are not compensated. And we still have to worry about patient satisfaction because we have to worry about our reputation.
So while encouraging “self-care” has some benefits, it does not address the bigger, more systemic issues. Of course the field of rheumatology is challenging – that cannot be helped. But effort should be made to alleviate the administrative burdens. Let us know that we are valued by listening to our grievances and addressing them. Don’t be dismissive.
Here are some examples that I think might help:
- Hospitals, physician practices, and health insurers could be audited for efficiency.
- Letting providers spend more time with patients (which I have to say my institution is really good about.)
- Provide better support staff. Really talented people managing patient phone calls and insurance prior authorizations will take a huge burden off of physicians’ shoulders.
- Explore the benefits of scribes. I know some doctors at our institution are lobbying them; I know using them is costly, but if it keeps the doctors happy and productive, is that not worth it?
Karmela K. Chan, MD , is a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.
It’s good that the issue of burnout is recognized and being discussed. It seems to me that our burnout is largely caused by externalities (such as patient complexity and administrative burdens).
On top of all that, there are administrative burdens. EHRs are a net-positive, but that doesn’t make charting any less painful. Add to that the daily insurance battles for life-saving treatments, which take up hours that are not compensated. And we still have to worry about patient satisfaction because we have to worry about our reputation.
So while encouraging “self-care” has some benefits, it does not address the bigger, more systemic issues. Of course the field of rheumatology is challenging – that cannot be helped. But effort should be made to alleviate the administrative burdens. Let us know that we are valued by listening to our grievances and addressing them. Don’t be dismissive.
Here are some examples that I think might help:
- Hospitals, physician practices, and health insurers could be audited for efficiency.
- Letting providers spend more time with patients (which I have to say my institution is really good about.)
- Provide better support staff. Really talented people managing patient phone calls and insurance prior authorizations will take a huge burden off of physicians’ shoulders.
- Explore the benefits of scribes. I know some doctors at our institution are lobbying them; I know using them is costly, but if it keeps the doctors happy and productive, is that not worth it?
Karmela K. Chan, MD , is a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery and an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York.
Rheumatologists may have a tough time in the office, but they know how to enjoy themselves once the workday ends, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, & Burnout Report.
In the Medscape survey, less than one-quarter of rheumatologists reported being happy at work, the same as internal medicine, with only neurologists reporting worse at-work happiness rates. While all measured specialties were happier outside of work than at work, no specialty had more of a gap than rheumatologists, rising from 22% at work to 60% outside of work.
The rate of burnout in rheumatologists was slightly higher than that seen in physicians overall (45% vs. 41%), with 78% of rheumatologists reporting that the growing number of bureaucratic tasks contributed most to burnout, followed by increased time devoted to EHRs (43%) and spending too much time at work (40%).
Rheumatologists most commonly dealt with burnout through exercise (46%), isolating themselves from others (45%), and talking with family/friends (44%). Rheumatologists were about average when it came to taking vacation, with 47% taking 3-4 weeks off of work, compared with 44% of all physicians; only 29% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
More than 90% of rheumatologists reported that they’d never contemplated suicide, with only 6% reported that they’d thought about it and none reporting that they’d attempted suicide. Similarly, 79% of rheumatologists reported that they are not and do not plan to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 10% saying they were currently seeing professional help and 8% saying they had been to therapy but were not anymore.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Rheumatologists may have a tough time in the office, but they know how to enjoy themselves once the workday ends, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, & Burnout Report.
In the Medscape survey, less than one-quarter of rheumatologists reported being happy at work, the same as internal medicine, with only neurologists reporting worse at-work happiness rates. While all measured specialties were happier outside of work than at work, no specialty had more of a gap than rheumatologists, rising from 22% at work to 60% outside of work.
The rate of burnout in rheumatologists was slightly higher than that seen in physicians overall (45% vs. 41%), with 78% of rheumatologists reporting that the growing number of bureaucratic tasks contributed most to burnout, followed by increased time devoted to EHRs (43%) and spending too much time at work (40%).
Rheumatologists most commonly dealt with burnout through exercise (46%), isolating themselves from others (45%), and talking with family/friends (44%). Rheumatologists were about average when it came to taking vacation, with 47% taking 3-4 weeks off of work, compared with 44% of all physicians; only 29% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
More than 90% of rheumatologists reported that they’d never contemplated suicide, with only 6% reported that they’d thought about it and none reporting that they’d attempted suicide. Similarly, 79% of rheumatologists reported that they are not and do not plan to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, with 10% saying they were currently seeing professional help and 8% saying they had been to therapy but were not anymore.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Oncologists are average in terms of happiness, survey suggests
When it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the workplace, oncologists are about average, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
Oncologists landed in the middle of the pack among all physicians surveyed for happiness. Rheumatologists were most likely to report being very or extremely happy outside of work (60%) and neurologists were least likely to do so (44%), but about half of oncologists (51%) reported being very/extremely happy outside of work. For happiness at work, dermatologists topped the list (41%), neurologists came in last (18%), and oncologists remained in the middle (29%).
Oncologists were average when it came to burnout as well, matching the rate of overall physicians. Specifically, 32% of oncologists were burned out, 4% were depressed, and 9% were both burned out and depressed.
The most commonly reported factors contributing to burnout among oncologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (74%), spending too many hours at work (42%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (36%).
Exercise was the most commonly reported way oncologists dealt with burnout (51%), followed by talking with family and friends (49%), and isolating themselves from others (38%). In addition, 57% of oncologists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of physicians overall; 29% of oncologists took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 18% of oncologists said they had contemplated suicide, and 1% said they’d attempted it; 72% said they’d never had thoughts of suicide. Just under one-quarter of oncologists said they were currently seeking professional help or were planning to seek help for symptoms of depression and/or burnout.
“The survey results are concerning on several levels,” Maurie Markman, MD, of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Philadelphia, said in an interview.
“First, the data suggest a considerable number of oncologists are simply burned out from the day-to-day bureaucracy (paperwork, etc.) of medical practice, which has absolutely nothing to do with the actual care delivered. This likely impacts the willingness to continue in this role. Second, one must be concerned for the future recruitment of physicians to become clinical oncologists. And finally, one must wonder about the impact of these concerning figures on the quality of care being provided to cancer patients.”
This survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians. Oncologists made up 1% of the survey pool.
When it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the workplace, oncologists are about average, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
Oncologists landed in the middle of the pack among all physicians surveyed for happiness. Rheumatologists were most likely to report being very or extremely happy outside of work (60%) and neurologists were least likely to do so (44%), but about half of oncologists (51%) reported being very/extremely happy outside of work. For happiness at work, dermatologists topped the list (41%), neurologists came in last (18%), and oncologists remained in the middle (29%).
Oncologists were average when it came to burnout as well, matching the rate of overall physicians. Specifically, 32% of oncologists were burned out, 4% were depressed, and 9% were both burned out and depressed.
The most commonly reported factors contributing to burnout among oncologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (74%), spending too many hours at work (42%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (36%).
Exercise was the most commonly reported way oncologists dealt with burnout (51%), followed by talking with family and friends (49%), and isolating themselves from others (38%). In addition, 57% of oncologists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of physicians overall; 29% of oncologists took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 18% of oncologists said they had contemplated suicide, and 1% said they’d attempted it; 72% said they’d never had thoughts of suicide. Just under one-quarter of oncologists said they were currently seeking professional help or were planning to seek help for symptoms of depression and/or burnout.
“The survey results are concerning on several levels,” Maurie Markman, MD, of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Philadelphia, said in an interview.
“First, the data suggest a considerable number of oncologists are simply burned out from the day-to-day bureaucracy (paperwork, etc.) of medical practice, which has absolutely nothing to do with the actual care delivered. This likely impacts the willingness to continue in this role. Second, one must be concerned for the future recruitment of physicians to become clinical oncologists. And finally, one must wonder about the impact of these concerning figures on the quality of care being provided to cancer patients.”
This survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians. Oncologists made up 1% of the survey pool.
When it comes to physician happiness both in and outside the workplace, oncologists are about average, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
Oncologists landed in the middle of the pack among all physicians surveyed for happiness. Rheumatologists were most likely to report being very or extremely happy outside of work (60%) and neurologists were least likely to do so (44%), but about half of oncologists (51%) reported being very/extremely happy outside of work. For happiness at work, dermatologists topped the list (41%), neurologists came in last (18%), and oncologists remained in the middle (29%).
Oncologists were average when it came to burnout as well, matching the rate of overall physicians. Specifically, 32% of oncologists were burned out, 4% were depressed, and 9% were both burned out and depressed.
The most commonly reported factors contributing to burnout among oncologists were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (74%), spending too many hours at work (42%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (36%).
Exercise was the most commonly reported way oncologists dealt with burnout (51%), followed by talking with family and friends (49%), and isolating themselves from others (38%). In addition, 57% of oncologists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of physicians overall; 29% of oncologists took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 18% of oncologists said they had contemplated suicide, and 1% said they’d attempted it; 72% said they’d never had thoughts of suicide. Just under one-quarter of oncologists said they were currently seeking professional help or were planning to seek help for symptoms of depression and/or burnout.
“The survey results are concerning on several levels,” Maurie Markman, MD, of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Philadelphia, said in an interview.
“First, the data suggest a considerable number of oncologists are simply burned out from the day-to-day bureaucracy (paperwork, etc.) of medical practice, which has absolutely nothing to do with the actual care delivered. This likely impacts the willingness to continue in this role. Second, one must be concerned for the future recruitment of physicians to become clinical oncologists. And finally, one must wonder about the impact of these concerning figures on the quality of care being provided to cancer patients.”
This survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians. Oncologists made up 1% of the survey pool.
Cardiologists’ happiness average both in and outside the office
Compared with their colleagues, cardiologists are in the middle when it comes to happiness both in and outside the workplace, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of cardiologists reported that they were very happy in the workplace, according to the Medscape report, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%; 51% of cardiologists said that they were very happy outside of work, 9 percentage points behind rheumatologists at 60%.
The burnout rate for cardiologists was 29%, well below the 41% average for all physicians. About 15% of cardiologists reported that they were both burned out and depressed. An overabundance of bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported contributing factor to burnout at 64%, followed by spending too many hours at work at 39% and increased usage of EHRs at 33%.
Cardiologists most commonly dealt with burnout by exercising (45%), talking with friends/family (43%), and isolating themselves from others (42%). In addition, 47% of cardiologists reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; only 29% said they had taken less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 10% of cardiologists said that they’d contemplated suicide and 1% reported that they’d attempted it; 83% reported that they’d never thought about suicide. Only 10% of cardiologists reported that they were either currently seeking help or were planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, while 76% said they had no plans to consult help and had not done so in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Compared with their colleagues, cardiologists are in the middle when it comes to happiness both in and outside the workplace, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of cardiologists reported that they were very happy in the workplace, according to the Medscape report, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%; 51% of cardiologists said that they were very happy outside of work, 9 percentage points behind rheumatologists at 60%.
The burnout rate for cardiologists was 29%, well below the 41% average for all physicians. About 15% of cardiologists reported that they were both burned out and depressed. An overabundance of bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported contributing factor to burnout at 64%, followed by spending too many hours at work at 39% and increased usage of EHRs at 33%.
Cardiologists most commonly dealt with burnout by exercising (45%), talking with friends/family (43%), and isolating themselves from others (42%). In addition, 47% of cardiologists reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; only 29% said they had taken less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 10% of cardiologists said that they’d contemplated suicide and 1% reported that they’d attempted it; 83% reported that they’d never thought about suicide. Only 10% of cardiologists reported that they were either currently seeking help or were planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, while 76% said they had no plans to consult help and had not done so in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Compared with their colleagues, cardiologists are in the middle when it comes to happiness both in and outside the workplace, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 28% of cardiologists reported that they were very happy in the workplace, according to the Medscape report, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%; 51% of cardiologists said that they were very happy outside of work, 9 percentage points behind rheumatologists at 60%.
The burnout rate for cardiologists was 29%, well below the 41% average for all physicians. About 15% of cardiologists reported that they were both burned out and depressed. An overabundance of bureaucratic tasks was the most commonly reported contributing factor to burnout at 64%, followed by spending too many hours at work at 39% and increased usage of EHRs at 33%.
Cardiologists most commonly dealt with burnout by exercising (45%), talking with friends/family (43%), and isolating themselves from others (42%). In addition, 47% of cardiologists reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, slightly more than the 44% average for all physicians; only 29% said they had taken less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 10% of cardiologists said that they’d contemplated suicide and 1% reported that they’d attempted it; 83% reported that they’d never thought about suicide. Only 10% of cardiologists reported that they were either currently seeking help or were planning to seek professional help for symptoms of burnout and/or depression, while 76% said they had no plans to consult help and had not done so in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Burnout rate lower among psychiatrists than physicians overall
Psychiatrists do better compared with those in most specialties in finding happiness at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 32% of psychiatrists reported being happy at work, according to the Medscape survey, though they lagged well behind dermatologists, who were the most satisfied with their work lives. In terms of happiness outside the office, psychiatrists were in the middle of the pack with 51% reporting that they were happy.
Somewhat fewer psychiatrists reported being burned out, compared with physicians overall, at 37% versus 41%. The biggest contributing factors to psychiatrist burnout were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (63%), increased time devoted to EHRs (34%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (32%).
Psychiatrists most commonly dealt with burnout by isolating themselves from others (57%), sleeping (43%), and talking with family/friends (42%). Just under half of psychiatrists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, and 33% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
and 1% reported that they had attempted suicide. About 45% said that they were currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or had used help in the past to deal with burnout or depression; 48% said that they were not planning to seek help and had not done so in the past.
In an interview, Carol A. Bernstein, MD, said it is challenging to find the meaning in these survey results.
“The challenge with surveys that measure burnout is that the drivers may be somewhat different in different specialties. I am less interested in looking at ‘who has it worse’ than I am at trying to address those systemic factors that are important for all physicians, regardless of specialty,” said Dr. Bernstein of Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
“The survey noted some of these factors: the increased burden of regulation and bureaucratic tasks, an EHR that was designed for billing and scheduling – not for taking care of patients – and challenges of professionalism in the workplace. These are issues that we must address for the benefit of all health care providers and patients.”
Dr. Bernstein, a past president of the American Psychiatric Association, is vice chair for faculty development and well-being at Montefiore/Albert Einstein. She is a professor in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and obstetrics/gynecology & women’s health.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Psychiatrists do better compared with those in most specialties in finding happiness at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 32% of psychiatrists reported being happy at work, according to the Medscape survey, though they lagged well behind dermatologists, who were the most satisfied with their work lives. In terms of happiness outside the office, psychiatrists were in the middle of the pack with 51% reporting that they were happy.
Somewhat fewer psychiatrists reported being burned out, compared with physicians overall, at 37% versus 41%. The biggest contributing factors to psychiatrist burnout were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (63%), increased time devoted to EHRs (34%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (32%).
Psychiatrists most commonly dealt with burnout by isolating themselves from others (57%), sleeping (43%), and talking with family/friends (42%). Just under half of psychiatrists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, and 33% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
and 1% reported that they had attempted suicide. About 45% said that they were currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or had used help in the past to deal with burnout or depression; 48% said that they were not planning to seek help and had not done so in the past.
In an interview, Carol A. Bernstein, MD, said it is challenging to find the meaning in these survey results.
“The challenge with surveys that measure burnout is that the drivers may be somewhat different in different specialties. I am less interested in looking at ‘who has it worse’ than I am at trying to address those systemic factors that are important for all physicians, regardless of specialty,” said Dr. Bernstein of Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
“The survey noted some of these factors: the increased burden of regulation and bureaucratic tasks, an EHR that was designed for billing and scheduling – not for taking care of patients – and challenges of professionalism in the workplace. These are issues that we must address for the benefit of all health care providers and patients.”
Dr. Bernstein, a past president of the American Psychiatric Association, is vice chair for faculty development and well-being at Montefiore/Albert Einstein. She is a professor in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and obstetrics/gynecology & women’s health.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Psychiatrists do better compared with those in most specialties in finding happiness at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 32% of psychiatrists reported being happy at work, according to the Medscape survey, though they lagged well behind dermatologists, who were the most satisfied with their work lives. In terms of happiness outside the office, psychiatrists were in the middle of the pack with 51% reporting that they were happy.
Somewhat fewer psychiatrists reported being burned out, compared with physicians overall, at 37% versus 41%. The biggest contributing factors to psychiatrist burnout were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (63%), increased time devoted to EHRs (34%), and a lack of respect from colleagues in the workplace (32%).
Psychiatrists most commonly dealt with burnout by isolating themselves from others (57%), sleeping (43%), and talking with family/friends (42%). Just under half of psychiatrists took 3-4 weeks’ vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians, and 33% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
and 1% reported that they had attempted suicide. About 45% said that they were currently seeking professional help, planning to seek help, or had used help in the past to deal with burnout or depression; 48% said that they were not planning to seek help and had not done so in the past.
In an interview, Carol A. Bernstein, MD, said it is challenging to find the meaning in these survey results.
“The challenge with surveys that measure burnout is that the drivers may be somewhat different in different specialties. I am less interested in looking at ‘who has it worse’ than I am at trying to address those systemic factors that are important for all physicians, regardless of specialty,” said Dr. Bernstein of Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
“The survey noted some of these factors: the increased burden of regulation and bureaucratic tasks, an EHR that was designed for billing and scheduling – not for taking care of patients – and challenges of professionalism in the workplace. These are issues that we must address for the benefit of all health care providers and patients.”
Dr. Bernstein, a past president of the American Psychiatric Association, is vice chair for faculty development and well-being at Montefiore/Albert Einstein. She is a professor in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and obstetrics/gynecology & women’s health.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Pediatricians twice as happy outside work than at work
Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.
The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).
Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!
This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.
Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!
I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.
We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!
This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.
Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!
I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.
We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!
This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.
Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!
I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.
Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.
The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).
Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.
Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.
About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.
The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).
Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.
About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.
The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.