Rep. Haley Stevens Introduces Bipartisan Resolution to Honor National Physician Suicide Awareness Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens, alongside Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), announced a bipartisan resolution to recognize September 17th as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day and recognize the intense pressure and trauma physicians face in the workplace. The resolution enhances national awareness of the mental health crisis facing American physicians and honors the memory of the physicians we have lost to suicide. It also urges the establishment of national awareness and educational activities.
America’s physicians work under intense pressure and are regularly exposed to trauma on the job. Roughly 6 in 10 experience increased feelings of anger, tearfulness, or anxiety, while 55 percent have experienced debilitating levels of stress at one point. Seven in 10 physicians also report stigma surrounding mental health and seeking mental health care among physicians. More than half know a colleague or peer who has contemplated or attempted suicide.
“Every day, physicians across Michigan and our country dedicate themselves to caring for us during some of the most difficult moments of our lives, but too often, the people we rely on to care for us are struggling without the support they need,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “We have lost far too many physicians to suicide, and we cannot allow stigma or fear to prevent health care professionals from seeking help. National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is about honoring those we have lost, starting honest conversations about physician mental health, and making sure the people who care for us know that they do not have to struggle alone.”
In addition to Stevens and Fitzpatrick, the resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), and Nanette Barragán (D-CA).
The resolution is endorsed by the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation, Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), American Medical Association (AMA), American Hospital Association (AHA), American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM), Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM) and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
“For many physicians, caring for patients is more than a job, it's a calling. Yet, our healthcare system has failed to fully support those who care for us all. High administrative burdens, long hours, and stigma around seeking mental health care leave many physicians feeling burned out and isolated,” said Corey Feist, CEO & Co-Founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation. “The Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation is proud to support Reps. Stevens and Fitzpatrick's bipartisan resolution designating September 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. By shining a light on physician mental health, honoring those we have lost, and prioritizing physician suicide awareness and prevention, this resolution helps take us one step closer to a country where all health workers feel safe seeking the mental health care they need. The Foundation looks forward to working with Congress to better protect and support health worker mental health.”
“National Physician Suicide Awareness Day was created by the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD) in 2018 to remember the physicians who have died by suicide and to shine a light on a hard truth: physicians die by suicide at more than twice the rate of the general population. Physicians devote their careers to caring for others, placing them at the heart of every community and at the bedside of patients and families suffering from illness. The factors leading to suicide are multifactorial and the demands of medicine carry additional emotional weight, including loss and responsibility for patients' lives. When compounded with personal and systemic pressures, a heavy burden is created, which is often borne in silence. In addition, physicians face additional suicide risk from their knowledge and access to deadly means. This resolution recognizes that suicidal ideation is not a burden physicians should carry alone, and implementation of suicide prevention interventions is a responsibility shared by their colleagues, institutions, and communities. Suicide is preventable. CORD proudly supports this resolution as a step toward a future in which physicians receive the same compassion and care they extend to their patients every day,” said Arlene Chung, MD, President-Elect of the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine.
“Physicians face disproportionately high rates of burnout, depression, anxiety, and suicide risk, driven by individual, environmental, and systemic factors,” said Laurel Stine, J.D., M.A., Executive Vice President and Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). “Designating September 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is an important opportunity to bring greater visibility to physician mental health and to advance meaningful solutions, including increasing research, reducing stigma, and expanding access to mental health care. AFSP applauds Representatives Stevens and Fitzpatrick for introducing this bipartisan resolution to recognize the critical need to support physicians’ well-being and encourage more open conversations about mental health.”
“Physicians dedicate their lives to caring for others, yet too many are struggling to care for themselves. Workforce shortages, the frustration and lost productivity caused by relentless prior authorization demands, and the financial pressures of running a medical practice are taking a toll on physicians’ mental health. At the same time, stigma and fear that seeking mental health care could jeopardize a physician’s ability to practice can keep physicians from getting the help they need and contribute to far too many physician suicides. Recognizing and understanding the realities physicians face is an essential first step. We applaud Reps. Stevens and Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan effort to designate September 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. The AMA looks forward to working with Congress on meaningful policy solutions to this complex and urgent problem,” said Willie Underwood, MD, MSc, MPH, President of the American Medical Association.
“The American Hospital Association thanks Representative Haley Stevens for introducing this resolution designating September 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. Physician suicide is a tragic issue that demands greater awareness, research, and action. By elevating this issue nationally, we can continue to reduce the stigma surrounding physician mental health. We are grateful for Representative Stevens’ leadership and commitment to supporting the well-being of the physicians and caregivers who care for patients every day,” said Lisa Kidder Hrobsky, Senior Vice President, Federal Relations at the American Hospital Association.
“Physicians dedicate their lives to caring for others, often meeting patients and families on some of the most difficult days of their lives. But those who support so many must know that support is there for them, too. With research showing that roughly one in ten physicians report recent or current suicidal ideation, we cannot afford to treat physician mental health as an afterthought. Designating National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is an important step toward breaking down stigma and encouraging physicians to seek help without fear,” said Vicki Norton, MD, FAAEM, President of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.
“The Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), representing the nation’s hospitalists, is pleased to support the resolution recognizing September 17 as National Physician Suicide Awareness Day. This important designation helps to raise awareness, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health challenges and seeking help, and promote a culture of well-being across our healthcare system. Every physician deserves the same compassion, support, and care they provide to their patients each day,” said Efrén C. Manjarrez, MD, SFHM, President of SHM’s Board of Directors.
“Emergency physicians care for patients every day, but many of us struggle in silence with our own mental health. We see the toll this takes and we know too many who have lost their lives to suicide. ACEP deeply appreciates Rep. Stevens and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan work to shine a light on the mental health struggles of our health care workforce. We must continue the critical progress we are making toward eliminating barriers and stigma to ensure emergency physicians and health care workers can seek the mental health care and support they need and deserve.” said L. Anthony Cirillo, MD, FACEP, president of American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
Text of the resolution can be found here.
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