The PMD Critical List: Depression Afflicts 1 in 3 Young Doctors

Nearly 1 in 3 young physicians suffer from depression, according to a new study. That story tops this week’s PMD Critical List. Also making the list, Muslim doctors say they feel more scrutiny, and a new report suggests prescribing fewer antibiotics may be good for the public health but bad for physicians’ satisfaction ratings.

• 29% of Young Doctors Are Depressed (Time)

An “exhaustive new review” in JAMA shows that “about 30% of young physicians have depression or symptoms of it … there’s a huge burden of suffering and misery going on. And that’s very worrisome in a caregiving profession.”

• American Muslim Physicians Feeling Trumped? (The Washington Post)

Nearly half of American Muslim doctors felt more scrutiny at work compared to their peers, according to the first study to examine religious identity and workplace discrimination in the medical field. About 25% said they faced “religious discrimination during their career.”

• Many Doctors Can't Manage “Complex Patients” (CNBC)

Up to 25% of US primary care physicians “believe their practices aren't well prepared to manage care for patients with multiple chronic conditions,” according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. Nearly 70% of those on Medicare are reported to have multiple chronic conditions.

• The More Varied Doctor Coming Our Way (Reuters)

American family physicians entering the profession today plan to provide a wider variety of medical services than their predecessors, a new JAMA study suggests. Added medical services include prenatal, obstetric, orthopedic, dermatology and cardiac care and more apt to offer home visits.

• Top 5 Value-Based Payment Success Factors for Physicians (RevCycleIntelligence)

Physicians say a lack of time is the leading obstacle (91%) regarding value-based care delivery, according to a new AAFP study. While 1 in 3 doctors are actively pursuing value-based payment opportunities, 70% think it won’t advance patient care and 60% think it will increase their workloads.

• CMS Posts New Quality Data on Physicians (iHealthBeat.com)

Over the protests of the AMA, Medicare has published quality performance scores for individual physicians for the first time. Only those doctors who volunteered data (60%) are included. All US doctors face a penalty in 2016 if they don’t provide the data.

• America’s Health Rankings 2015 (americashealthrankings.org)

The United Health Foundation is out with its 25^th annual America's Health Ranking report. The benchmark report is the longest-running, comprehensive state-by-state study of our nation’s health. Physicians should have a peek.

• How to Cure Cancer (The New Yorker)

Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell pens a hard-hitting profile of pioneering oncologist, Dr. Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., who just published a new book, The Death of Cancer. “We are not limited by the science; we are limited by our ability to make good use of the information and treatments we already have.”

• ER Doctors: Home Alone a Lie (SportsGrid.com)

A little holiday health humor. Medical personnel deconstructing the 1990 movie Home Alone—the highest-grossing live action comedy film of all time—say the “Wet Bandits” probably would have never even made it into Kevin’s (Macaulay Culkin) house. In two instances, injuries likely would have killed them.

• Patients Dissatisfied with Doctors Who Prescribe Fewer Antibiotics (UPI)

"These findings suggest that medical practices that try to help prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria by prescribing fewer antibiotics are likely to experience a drop in their satisfaction ratings,” explained British researchers.