When you seek medical attention in the San Antonio area, you expect to receive proper and effective care. After all, doctors and nurses receive years of education and training, and their experience should steer them to the provision of safe treatment. Yet, all too often innocent San Antonians are left injured, disfigured, and disabled by errant medical professional who make avoidable mistakes.
What causes these appalling errors? There are several contributing factors, but one that has gained increasing notoriety lately is physician burnout. Although burnout affects people in every profession, in the medical field it can lead to disastrous consequences.
How common is doctor burnout?
It’s becoming alarmingly common. In fact, some studies have shown that as many as 62% of surveyed physicians report symptoms of burnout, which is a drastic increase over previous years. This has led many doctors and nurses to plan to leave the medical profession in the next couple of years.
Why is burnout so high in the medical profession?
There are several compounding factors that lead to doctor and nurse burnout. Amongst them are:
- Increased administrative work
- The extensive use of electronic medical records
- Lack of supporting health systems
- Emotional exhaustion
- Lack of time to spend with individual patients
- Poor work-life balance
- Societal expectations regarding work ethic and perfectionism
The burnout that results from these factors lead to depersonalization, lack of efficacy, and mental and physical exhaustion. For some, it’s hard to recognize the signs of burnout, as the symptoms can slowly compound over time. For others, though, major changes at work can quickly leave them feeling overwhelmed.
What’s the impact of burnout in the medical field?
The ramifications of doctor burnout can be severe and wide-reaching. To start, your doctor might lack the attention necessary to provide you with proper care. As they struggle with fatigue, multi-tasking, and concentration, these medical professionals become more prone to medical errors and medical malpractice. This, in turn, leaves innocent and unsuspecting patients like you at risk of being seriously harmed and facing a longer recovery than would otherwise be necessary.
Burnout can also lead to other issues like substance abuse. A doctor who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol is dangerous, but you may not know your doctor’s condition until it’s too late. As a result, you could be left with injuries from a surgical error, a failure to diagnose, a wrong diagnosis, or a medication mistake.
What should you do if you’ve been harmed by medical malpractice?
If you’ve been hurt by errant medical care, then you need to be prepared to take legal action in the form of a medical malpractice lawsuit. But before diving into the legal process, you need to gather evidence that supports your claim. This will include your medical records, expert opinions, and witness testimony. Putting this work in on the front end of your case will minimize risk, eliminate surprises, and give you the information you need to craft the persuasive arguments needed to position yourself for success.
Are you ready to advocate for accountability?
A successful medical malpractice lawsuit can lead to accountability and compensation, thereby giving you what you need to secure a robust physical, emotional, and financial recovery. We realize that a successful medical malpractice lawsuit may not return you to your normal life, but it might give you the life you deserve after you’ve been harmed.
If you’d like to learn more about what you can do to protect your rights and advocate for the outcome that you want, then please continue to browse our website and educate yourself on this area of the law.
