By Pat Rich
May 6, 2014
Best practices and emerging knowledge about physician health are featured in a new series of podcasts released by the Canadian Physician Health Institute (CPHI).
The podcasts feature such Canadian physician leaders in the field of physician health and well-being as Dr. Derek Puddester, director of the CPHI, Dr. James Sproule, managing director of physician services, Canadian Medical Protective Association and Dr. Michael Kaufmann, medical director, Physician Health Program, Ontario Medical Association. Other podcasts feature powerful presentations by Canadian Medical Association leaders such as Past-President Dr. Anna Reid
Topics range from managing boundaries between life and technology, to dealing with disruptive physician behavior and addressing addiction in physicians.
“Healthy doctors practice better medicine,” Puddester states in a presentation on the importance of physician health that is available as part of the series.
“If the profession does not take care of itself, who will,” asks CMA President Dr. Louis Francescutti in another podcast.
The podcasts were prepared last fall in Calgary during the 3rd Canadian Conference on Physician Health and so are both timely and relevant for Canadian doctors.
“Everybody tells us what we should do but they don’t tell us how,” notes Christopher Hurst, a Wellness Consultant in the Office of Resident Wellness in the office of postgraduate medical education at the University of Toronto. The podcasts help to address the ‘how’ for many of the day-to-day challenges facing physicians as they strive to maintain their own health.
The short videos are available on the CPHI website. CPHI is national program focused on promoting physician mental health and wellness that is governed by the Canadian Medical Association, the Canadian Medical Foundation and the provincial / territorial medical associations.
The podcasts are just one initiative underway through CPHI. Another is involvement in helping plan the International Conference on Physician Health to be held in London, UK from September 15-17 as a co-partnered event of the American Medical Association, CMA, and British Medical Association.
Held every two years, the conference will showcase the latest research in physician health and well-being as well featuring innovative keynote speakers and panel discussions.
Forward any comments about this article to: cmanews@cma.ca.
