'Now that I’ve seen my score, I’d like some help': Thousands of doctors have already used the CMPA Well-Being Index tool

Doctors are pretty thin on the ground these days. Many are regularly operating under workplace stress levels of genuinely epic proportions. But while performing at a high standard, under duress, can be a matter of pride—how much is too much?The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) recently introduced a confidential physician wellness self-assessment for members on its website. Modelled on the Mayo Clinic’s widely used Well-Being Index, the tool is designed to help physicians evaluate their own mental health and, if needed, connect with support services.Dr. Catherine Pound, the CMPA’s director of physician wellness and support, speaking with the Medical Post, said that while the CMPA does not track physician mental health directly, there is strong evidence linking physician distress with adverse patient outcomes, professionalism concerns and patient dissatisfaction.The CMPA tool, launched in February, collects aggregate, anonymized data. It offers a preliminary snapshot of physician well-being across Canada in near real time.“We’ve had about 3,500 physicians complete the self-assessment at least once,” said Dr. Pound, explaining that physicians can reassess monthly and track their scores over time.The early results are sobering.“I can tell you that well-being doesn’t look very good at all at the moment,” she said. “It looks like two-thirds of the physicians who responded are struggling or distressed.”Those findings may reflect a self-selecting group—i.e. physicians who already suspect their wellness is at risk. Still, Dr. Pound believes the data offers enough insight to suggest the well-being tool is addressing an important need.“What we’re hoping is that by offering this tool, physicians will feel encouraged to use it,” she said.“The beauty of it is that it only takes a couple of minutes. It immediately provides a well-being score and shows how that score compares with others in the same professional category. And right away, it offers wellness resources tailored to the physician’s province or territory. So, a doctor in B.C. will see different supports than one in Nova Scotia.”The CMPA modified the assessment questions to reflect the Canadian context and made them available in both English and French. The first six questions require a straightforward yes/no answer and the last two are on a sliding scale. The process evaluates six key dimensions of physician wellness:Meaning and workLikelihood of burnoutSevere fatigueWork/life integrationRisk of medical errorSuicide ideationDr. Pound has already received anecdotal reports suggesting the tool is reaching its intended audience.“A couple of days after we launched the index, I spoke to someone from a provincial health program,” she recalled. “She said a physician had called her after completing the assessment and said, ‘I didn’t realize how bad things were. Now that I’ve seen my score, I’d like some help.’”The CMPA Well-Being Index is available to members via the association’s website. Access requires a member number and password. Recognizing the sensitivity of this information, the CMPA emphasizes that all responses are strictly confidential.

'Now that I’ve seen my score, I’d like some help': Thousands of doctors have already used the CMPA Well-Being Index tool

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