The process of physicians falling ill and consequences for their professionalism/EL PROCESO DE ENFERMAR DE LOS MEDICOS Y SUS CONSECUENCIAS EN EL PROFESIONALISMO/O processo de adoecimento dos medicos e as suas consequencias acerca do profissionalismo

• Published in: Acta bioethica 2018-11, Vol.24 (2), p.199
• Main Authors: Altisent, Rogelio, Gallego-Royo, Alba, Marco-Gomez, Barbara, Martinez-Boyero, Teresa, Delgado- Marroquin, Teresa, Perez-Alvarez, Candela, Astier-Pena, Maria Pilar
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• ISSN: 0717-5906

The idiosyncrasy of the medical profession, the characteristic personality traits of the physician and the lack of specific training to properly recognize and treat one's own vulnerability dispose this group to suffer more mental pathology and probably worse control of other medical diseases. Most of the studies promoted so far focus on the psychiatric and addictive concerns of the physician, from the point of view of the sick doctor as being at risk for malpractice and to guarantee the safety of their patients. The narrative review of scientific literature (MEDLINE, EMBASE and IME 1985-2016) has shown that we do not have in the Spanish-speaking environment updated information about the doctor as a patient, despite being a topic of incipient media repercussion and undoubtedly relevant from the point of view of patient safety, professionalism and medical ethics and as well as the welfare of professionals. The characteristic of a sick doctor are more complex than the rest of patients with a conflict of roles and repercussions on professional ethics and the quality of care. Key words: illness, physician, medical student, junior physician, retirement, self-prescription, self-treatment, access to health care, health plan, mental health, medical ethics, professionalism La idiosincrasia de la profesion medica, los rasgos de personalidad caracteristicos del medico y la falta de formacion especifica para reconocer y tratar adecuadamente la propia vulnerabilidad, predisponen a este colectivo a padecer mas patologia mental y, probablemente, un deficiente tratamiento de otras enfermedades. La mayoria de los estudios realizados hasta el momento se centran en la patologia mental y adictiva del medico, desde el punto de vista del riesgo para la mala praxis y la seguridad de sus pacientes. La revision narrativa de la literatura cientifica realizada (MEDLINE, EMBASE e IME 19852016) ha mostrado que, en el entorno hispanoparlante, apenas disponemos de informacion actualizada sobre el medico como paciente, a pesar de ser un tema de indudable relevancia desde el punto de vista de la seguridad asistencial, del profesionalismo y del propio bienestar de los profesionales. La situacion del medico que enferma es compleja y poco conocida, con conflicto de roles y con repercusiones en la etica profesional y la calidad asistencial. Palabras clave: enfermedad, medico, estudiante de medicina, medico residente, jubilacion, automedicacion, autotratamiento, acceso a la atencion, programas