News  Board Approves Policy Expanding Risk Management CME to Include Wellness and Burnout Prevention Topics

Wakefield — The Board has approved a new policy expanding Risk Management CMEs to include wellness and burnout prevention topics.  The full text of the policy is included below, with a link to the new policy on the BORIM website on mass.gov.

One of the most serious challenges facing the medical profession, and therefore patient safety, is physician burnout.  Earlier this year, in an online poll, the American Medical Association found as many as 44% of physicians deal with physician burnout.[1]  To this end, we have expanded experiences that will support Risk Management CMEs to include many topics dealing with physician burnout and wellness. Below is a list that provides Massachusetts physicians several options to fulfill seven of the ten hours of his or her Risk Management credits.  Please note, that the below are only options and that the physician may meet the Risk Management requirement with other organizational sites that offer education and awareness around physician burnout and wellness.  Every hour spent on the topic of physician burnout or mindfulness, will count for one hour of credit.  Physicians recording their requirement should keep track of the website they used and the hours to complete the activity.

1. ACOG - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology - Wellness References: Inspiring and Educational Media and Scientific Literature

https://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/CREOG/CREOG-Search/CREOG-Physician-Satisfaction-and-Wellness-Initiative/Physician-Wellness-Toolkit/Wellness-References

2. AMA - American Medical Association

https://edhub.ama-assn.org/steps-forward/module/2702556

3. ACP - American College of Physicians  – “Individual physician well-being and burnout tools”

https://www.acponline.org/practice-resources/physician-well-being-and-professional-fulfillment/individual-physician-well-being-and-burnout-tools

4. AAP - American Academy of Pediatrics

https://services.aap.org/en/search/?context=all&k=physician%20burnout

5. PubMed.gov - Articles on physician burnout and resilience

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25266440

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25694128 - mindfulness and self-compassion

6. ACEP.org - American College of Emergency Physicians

https://www.acep.org/globalassets/uploads/uploaded-files/acep/clinical-and-practice-management/resources/wellness/burnout-resources_062315.pdf

7. NCCAM - National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

https://nccih.nih.gov/

8. UMass Medical School - Center for Mindfulness

https://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/

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[1] Berg, Sara. (Jan. 24, 2019). Physician Burnout: Which Medical Specialties Feel the Most Stress? American Medical Association. Accessible at https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/physician-burnout-which-medical-specialties-feel-most-stress