What do you think is the biggest healthcare problem facing physicians

[Dayne67]

I've thinking about this from the physician's standpoint, but I'm really struggling. I was hoping that someone could get me started.

 

The only obvious answer I can think of is increased patient-loads due to doctor shortages.....

[7kkww]

I think one of the major problems they face is burnout--emotional and physical. A recent article in Macleans also showed that women physicians face higher levels of burnout than male physicians. While there may be improvements in the future with physicians deliberately choosing to re-prioritize life over work (or at least find some sense of balance), unless there are actually more doctors out there to cope with the ever increasing demands of patient care, I don't see how physicians' emotional and physical health can be substantially improved.

 

That's my two cents.

[EllieGee]

How about the internet and self-diagnosis? People just google their symptoms and they may not get the best information by doing this.

 

OR also related to the internet: new drugs that people can find on the internet that aren't necessarily proven in terms of efficacy. Apparently physicians are being asked for drugs like this that might not even be approved in Ontario, and as a result, patients don't feel like they're getting the right standard of care.

 

More ideas! I don't know if they're the BIGGEST problems, but they're certainly problems!