October 6, 2009 – Meditation would be a good way to prevent burnout (burnout), according to a preliminary test carried out with doctors and the results of which are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)1.
US researchers tested meditation technique that could help prevent burnout that affects around 60% of primary care physicians2. As part of a continuing education program3, 70 doctors followed mindfulness meditation sessions for 1 year. They also participated in exchanges between colleagues on their clinical experiences.
According to the results, the meditation program had the effect of reducing the symptoms associated with burnout. Between the start and the end of the program, participants’ emotional exhaustion decreased by 25.4%, while their sense of professional accomplishment increased by 6%.
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The authors of the study notably report a 51.5% reduction in mood disturbances and an 8.2% improvement in emotional stability. In addition, physicians’ capacity for empathy towards their patients has increased by approximately 4%.
Burnout among physicians leads to a decrease in the quality of patient care – more medical errors and less empathy – and problems in their personal lives, the researchers point out.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Krasner MS, Epstein RM, Beckman H, et al. Association of an educational program in mindful communication with burnout, empathy, and attitudes among primary care physicians.JAMA. 2009 Sep 23; 302 (12): 1284-93.
2. Front-line services include reception, assessment, treatment, follow-up or referral activities. The physician plans the execution of the treatment plan and directs the patient, if necessary, to other professionals, to specialist physicians or to other resources in the health network.
3. The meditation program consisted of an initial intensive phase (8 weekly sessions of 2.5 hours each and one intensive 7 hour session), followed by a maintenance phase (10 monthly sessions of 2.5 hours each).
