A Call to Action: Ethics Committee Roundtable Recommendations for Addressing Burnout and Moral Distress in Oncology
Fay J. Hlubocky, Lynne P. Taylor, Jonathan M. Marron, Rebecca Spence, Molly McGinnis, Richard Brown, Daniel C. McFarland, Eric D. Tetzlaff, Colleen M. Gallagher, Abby R. Rosenberg, Beth Popp, Konstantin H. Dragnev, Linda D. Bosserman, Denise M. Dudzinski, Sonali M. Smith, Monica Chatwal, Manali I. Patel, Merry Jennifer Markham, Kathryn Levit, Éduardo Bruera, Ronald M. Epstein, Marie T. Brown, Anthony L. Back, Tait D. Shanafelt, Arif H. Kamal
Abstract
Oncologist well-being is critical to initiating and maintaining the physician-patient relationship, yet many oncologists suffer from symptoms of burnout. Burnout has been linked to poor physical and mental health, as well as increased medical errors, patient dissatisfaction, and workforce attrition. In this Call to Action article, we discuss causes of and interventions for burnout and moral distress in oncology, highlight existing interventions, and provide recommendations for addressing burnout and improving well-being at the individual and organizational levels to deliver ethical, quality cancer care.