New wellness program provides Allegheny County physicians with mental health support

This fact may surprise you: each day, a physician dies by suicide.

“Having burnout is certainly a risk for suicide,” said Dr. Sarahgene Gillianne DeFoe. “Luckily, I’ve never experienced that, but I have certainly experienced strong emotions when it came to feeling unhappy with where I was. And certainly, if I stayed in that position long enough, who knows what could have happened.”

About five years ago, Dr. Sarahgene Gillianne DeFoe was at a crossroads in her medical career.

“From the outside, I looked like success,” DeFoe said. “But internally, I was a mess.”

This mom of two made her mental health a priority. Now, she coaches other physicians.

“I think sometimes we tend to put physicians especially on pedestals,” DeFoe said. “You’re untouchable. You’re invincible, and I think that can work against us.”

Anywhere between 300-400 physicians die by suicide each year. A recent study found female doctors have a 76% higher suicide risk.

“Physicians are definitely one of those groups that struggle to acknowledge that they maybe need some mental health support,” said Sara Hussey, the Allegheny County Medical Society executive director.

To help combat this, the Allegheny County Medical Society launched a new physicians wellness program a few months ago. It’s a free counseling service for physicians and medical residents in Allegheny County.

“It’s just another way for them to be able to talk to someone, reach out for support and just find a way to combat some of those burnout issues,” Hussey said.

“Physicians are struggling right now,” DeFoe said. “We know that burnout peaked during the pandemic. In 2021, it was about 62%. It has since come down to a little less than 50%. But it’s still there. Burnout increases the risk of substance abuse. It increases the risk of depression, and certainly suicide. This is a problem. And we have to bring awareness to it if we want to change it.”

September 17 is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day.

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