Physician Wellness Is an Ethical and Public Health Issue

Attention to physician well-being has traditionally focused on substance abuse, usually with disciplinary implications. But, in recent years, greater notice has been granted toward physician burnout and overall wellness. Burnout and its sequelae not only affect physicians and physicians-in-training as individuals, but the impact then multiplies as it affects these physicians' patients, colleagues, and hospital systems. In addition, the American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics charges physicians with a responsibility to maintain their own health and wellness as well as promote that of their colleagues. Therefore, the question of physician wellness has both public health and ethical implications. The causes of burnout are multifactorial, and the solutions to sustainable change are multitiered.