Our guest, this month, is the Allegheny County Medical Society’s Executive Director Sara C. Hussey, MBA, CAE. The discussion this month is the mental health of physicians, the rising suicide rate of physicians and prevention/awareness.
In a national study conducted before the pandemic, 1 in 15 US physicians had thoughts of taking their own life. That number has unfortunately increased due to work overload and burn out, and it also does not include statistics on all medical professionals. We mentioned earlier this month that September is National Suicide Prevention Month, proving to be a good time to provide useful tips if you’re feeling burn out and are concerned about your mental health.
In this episode, William Ankrom, an Instructor and Clinical Education Coordinator in the Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition for the Athletic Training Program at UPMC, gets more into detail regarding the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of concussions. Is there a rapid test that first responders and first caregivers can use to assess for a concussion?
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Jeffrey Pesarsick, MPH, FP-C, NREMT-P
Senior Professional Flight Paramedic
Years of Service – 10 years
Suicide. There is so much to be said about a single word. 49,449 Americans lost their lives to suicide last year. The mental health crisis is hitting Americans at an all-time high and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, with this week shining even more of a light on the subject with National Suicide Week. This awareness is to not only remember all the lives that were lost, but to focus on the millions of individuals who have struggled/are struggling with suicidal thoughts and learn how we can help in this mental health battle.
Unfortunately, those working in the medical field are not immune to mental health issues. With the COVID pandemic, and an increased workload, burnout is very clear among medical professionals. Studies have shown that those who work in the medical field who experience suicidal ideation, have been […]
Mark Fox, NREMT, FP-C
While it seems that there is a national day for everything, it’s important that we recognize one in particular this month.. MedicAlert IDs. Every year in August we observe MedicAlert Awareness Month, knowing how essential they are for medical professionals in case of emergencies with individuals that live alone or have very dangerous medical conditions. Moreso, it helps medical personnel recognize medical conditions, medications and allergies to help to avoid medical errors.
Let’s take a look back to see how MedicAlert Awareness Month got started. It all began in 1953 with a 14-year-old named Linda Collins. Linda had cut her finger and went to the hospital to have it taken care of. During a routine test, Linda went into anaphylactic shock, which was almost fatal. This event inspired Linda and her father, who was a doctor, to create a medical bracelet, with […]
William Ankrom is an Instructor and Clinical Education Coordinator in the Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition for the Athletic Training Program at UPMC. He talks about being prepared for all emergencies at sports events and discusses who is in charge when it comes to injuries…. parents.. team trainer… physician.. EMS?
Thank you to: William K. Ankrom, MS, LAT, ATC Clinical Education Coordinator and Instructor, Athletic Training Education Program Instructor
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Jill Borkowski RN, CFRN
Senior Professional Flight Nurse
Years of Service – 5.5
It’s hard to believe it’s been six years since the CEM/STAT MedEvac Critical Care Ground Ambulance and the UPMC Children’s Hospital Ambulance both began their run. Here are some facts about these ambulances.
