Health Care & Insurance  March 30, 2023

Medical society offers free peer counseling for docs

DENVER — Doctors across the state now have access to peer counseling when the pressures of the job get too difficult to handle.

The Colorado Medical Society, with more than 7,000 members across all specialties, has launched Doc2Doc Wellbeing Consulting.  The program will provide three free peer consultations for any physician or medical student, according to a press statement from the society.

A dedicated phone line, 720-810-9131, will be answered day or night by masters-level licensed clinician. The clinician then schedules a follow-up appointment in person or by video or phone call with a physician trained in psychiatry.  

“A study  published by the American Medical Association, the Mayo Clinic, and Stanford Medicine in December 2022 showed an alarming 62.8% of physicians experienced symptoms of burnout in 2021, up from 38% the previous year. This follows similarly concerning studies that indicated one in every five physicians planned to leave practice within two years, while one in three anticipated cutting back their hours,” the society said in a press statement. 

“Burnout among medical professionals is widespread,” said Dr. Patrick Pevoto, CMS president. “Seeking help can be difficult for physicians due to stigma, feelings of failure or fear of losing their license. The Colorado Medical Society wants to make it easy for doctors to seek support so they can provide the best care to patients immediately and in the future. We encourage physicians to reach out before a problem gets too big.” 

Doc2Doc is meant to supplement the evaluations offered by the Colorado Physician Health Program.

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