Physician health and wellbeing provide challenges to patient safety and outcome quality across the careerspan

Abstract

Objective: Age correlated changes in mental and physical capacity have contributed to increasing concerns about older physicians’ clinical competence. This paper explores the relationship between age and health in a clinical population referred for fitness for duty evaluations. Methods: Fifty cases from an evaluation center performing fitness for duty evaluations were randomly selected. Cases were reviewed for referral reason, demographic information, diagnosis, and recommendations. Results: Age ranged from 28–70 (median age of 51, mode of 45). Eighty-eight percent of cases had a diagnosed medical condition with potential cognitive sequellae. Conclusion: While the literature supports performance concerns in aging practitioners, health independent of age, appears to be an important contributing factor. A screening process considering biopsychosocial reserve and professional load while applicable to older clinicians would optimally be implemented for physicians across their careerspan.