In today's demanding health care climate, the specialty of anesthesiology faces an array of challenges. None is more pressing than ensuring the health and well-being of clinicians who are grappling with long hours, life and death decisions, an evolving health care landscape, and emergency situations that can feel relentless. The persistent stressors many anesthesiologists face can take their toll over time, resulting in physical and psychosocial conditions, occupational burnout, or even depression, substance use disorder and suicide. Fortunately, ASA's Industry Supporters provide the society with unrestricting funding for our well-being efforts.
The help is essential, now more than ever, as COVID-19 has exacerbated the problems. According to Medscape's Anesthesiologist Lifestyle, Happiness & Burnout Report, 2021 saw a decline in anesthesiologists' happiness outside of work, from 84% of anesthesiologists reporting they were happy outside of work prior to March 2020, when the pandemic hit, to 57% in 2022 (asamonitor.pub/3COKqQ1)....
