Week 3: First Week at Internship

Hey! Welcome back to week 3 of my Senior Project journey.

I’ve officially started my first week at the American Academy of Ophthalmology! During this time, I had the opportunity to discuss my Senior project and outline my ideas for the upcoming weeks with the staff. They are very supportive of my future endeavors and are willing to assist me as much as they can. That said, they sent me multiple articles to read and analyze. The main topic they wanted me to research was Prior Authorization and Step Therapy, which is how health insurance companies decide whether patients need one drug over another. In most cases, these companies will give a lesser quality drug to the patient to see if any progress has been made, and if it hasn’t, then they supply them with a better drug. Although this is generally the topic I read about in many of my articles, I was also given an article about how physicians were reluctant to get help with their emotional wellness.

The main article they wanted me to focus on was about Dr. Lorna Breen, a physician who dealt with burnout. Her hesitance to seek assistance stemmed from concerns about potential repercussions, including the risk of losing her medical license and facing ostracism at her workplace. Unfortunately, she died by suicide on April 26, 2020. However, her passing prompted the introduction of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which was eventually signed into law by professionals review on March 18, 2022. This new law offers recommendations to improve the working conditions in US healthcare organizations.

Dr. Lorna Breen is one of many affected by the pandemic’s increased burnout rate among US physicians. The enactment of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act marks a pivotal step towards fostering a culture of support and safety within the healthcare sector. It underscores the importance of creating environments where physicians feel encouraged to seek mental health or substance use treatment without fear of adverse consequences.

This is one way I have seen the federal government impact and support the Act for physicians undergoing burnout. I hope to read more about ways the federal government or other healthcare companies are doing to improve the conditions for physicians going through burnout.

Stay tuned for more updates next week!

Ava Farboudmanesch 🙂