Ukraine in need of aid: How to help
The war in Ukraine is causing a dire need for additional medical and humanitarian supplies. The USAID website provides suggestions for making donations and volunteering.
In addition, the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has stepped up its operations and capacity in Ukraine and neighboring countries. A donation page was set up for those who wish to support these efforts, with examples of how donations may be used. $100 can provide psychosocial support to a child in Ukraine (including access to outreach activities, daycare centers and child-friendly spaces), $26 is enough to give a displaced person legal counseling support and $13 can provide a plastic tarpaulin to a family in Ukraine, to help them protect their damaged home or shelter from the elements. It is possible to make a one-off donation or sign up to donate on a monthly basis.
How to incorporate technology to accelerate behavioral health integration
The AMA and Manatt Health Strategies have released a new report that provides recommendations for physicians and their care teams on how incorporating technology—including digital tools for screening and intake, clinical decision support and telehealth care delivery—can advance access to behavioral health care.
It builds on AMA’s ongoing efforts to accelerate behavioral health integration (BHI) in primary care practices and measure the value of virtual care using the AMA’s Return on Health framework.
The costs of primary care physician turnover
A new article authored by the AMA and Mayo Clinic details how primary care physician turnover is costly and results in nearly one billion dollars in excess health care expenditures. “Health Care Expenditures Attributable to Primary Care Physician Overall and Burnout-Related Turnover: A Cross-sectional Analysis,” which appears in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, further states that a significant portion of expenditures is due to turnover, while $260 million is attributable to burnout. Patient access to primary care, as well as the continuity and quality of care, are threatened by physician turnover. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing factors that contribute to burnout among physicians as one approach to decreasing overall U.S. health care expenditures.
Changes in burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration in physicians and others
A new study conducted by the AMA, Stanford University and the Mayo Clinic evaluates the prevalence of burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration among physicians and U.S. workers in 2020 relative to 2011, 2014 and 2017. The study, which was published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, shows that burnout and satisfaction with work-life integration among U.S. physicians improved between 2017 and 2020. Physicians in specialties most impacted by COVID-19 experienced no significant changes in burnout. Additionally, physicians remain at increased risk for burnout relative to workers in other fields. The AMA, Stanford and Mayo are currently conducting a follow-up national survey to evaluate changes in burnout and professional satisfaction an additional year into the pandemic.
