The Daily

The Sunday Read: ‘The Moral Crisis of America’s Doctors’

52 snips
Jul 16, 2023
Eyal Press, a contributor to the New York Times Magazine and author of 'Dirty Work,' discusses the alarming moral crisis faced by American doctors. He highlights the distress experienced by physicians due to a profit-driven healthcare system that prioritizes efficiency over patient care. The conversation uncovers the emotional toll of ethical dilemmas, rising unionization among medical residents, and innovative models of direct patient care that aim to restore the doctor-patient relationship. Press also sheds light on the growing phenomenon of 'moral injury' in the medical field.
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ANECDOTE

Physician Suicide Rates

  • Psychiatrist Wendy Dean was startled by the high suicide rate among doctors, even higher than that of active military members.
  • She discovered this after reading an article about a physician's suicide and began researching the issue.
INSIGHT

Moral Injury in Healthcare

  • Doctors and nurses resonated with Dean and Talbot's essay on moral injury, finding it described their struggles.
  • The essay compared the moral distress of healthcare workers to that of soldiers.
ANECDOTE

Doctors' Reluctance to Speak Out

  • Eyal Press, the author, initially found it hard to believe doctors faced moral crises similar to low-wage workers.
  • However, many doctors, despite their high salaries, were afraid to openly discuss their struggles.
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