The catastrophic collapse of morale among hospital physicians in Japan

Abstract

The past few decades have witnessed bleak pictures of unhappy physicians worldwide. Japanese physicians working in hospitals are particularly distressed. Today, Japan’s healthcare system is near collapse because physicians are utterly demoralized. Their loss of morale is due to budget constraints, excessive demands, physician shortages, poor distribution, long working hours, hostile media, increasing lawsuits, and violence by patients. Severe cost-saving policies, inadequate distribution of healthcare resources, and the failure to communicate risks has damaged physicians’ morale and created conflicts between physicians and society. Physicians should communicate the uncertainty, limitations, and risks of modern medicine to all members of society. No resolution can be achieved unless trust exists between physicians, patients, the public, the media, bureaucrats, politicians and jurists.

A future estimate of physician distribution in hospitals and clinics in Japan

“…[22] Although the advancement of medical techniques and strengthening function of clinics will alleviate the potential risk of a weakening Japanese health care system, medical care services in hospitals are facing difficulties. Increasing numbers of lawsuits and distrust of physicians, together with sensational media reports, will accelerate the physician shortage and make the medical care system in Japan more fragile [23]. The Committee on Physicians' Demand and Supply at the MHLW described the difficult situation of hospital-based physicians as 'the more physicians work at hospitals, the less they are rewarded for it'.…”

Association of Depression and Suicidal Ideation with Unreasonable Patient Demands and Complaints Among Japanese Physicians: A National Cross-sectional Survey

“…The occurrence of unreasonable patient demands and complaints against health care staff at hospitals has been addressed by several recent studies in Japan [1,2]. However, the epidemiological effects of these demands and complaints are currently unclear, even though news coverage has described cases of health care workers who have experienced these patient behaviors [3].…”

Legal intervention against medical accidents in Japan

“…Nevertheless, conflicts between physicians and patients continue to increase 9. Error prevention and communication with patients are essential matters, but do not necessarily solve all the problems.…”