Job burnout and depression may be responsible for many of the medical errors committed by surgeons. In a survey of 7,905 U.S. surgeons, almost 9 per cent acknowledged making a major mistake in the preceding three months. More than 70 per cent of those admitting to errors said it was their fault, rather than placing the blame on some technical or institutional problem…

“These results suggest that a surgeon's personal mental health including burnout may have an effect on quality of care,” said the lead author, Tait Shanafelt of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Globe and Mail  by Paul Taylor, 11/27/09

Tags: mental health, quality of care, Research, Surgeon depressed