Physician burnout is widespread in the United States. In a survey The Physicians Foundation conducted in spring 2020, 58% of physicians reported feelings associated with burnout, up from 40% in a survey conducted in 2018. In response, The Physicians Foundation has developed a tool to help physicians prepare for mental health crises. The Physicians Foundation’s Personal Crisis Management Plan tool for physicians features five questions that physicians should answer before a mental health crisis arises.

In a series focused on how professionals in the medical staff services industry are overcoming unique COVID-19 challenges, Medical Staff Briefing is sitting down with physician leaders, MSPs, quality professionals, educators, and consultants across the country to hear about their experiences. This month, we were able to sit down with Teresa P. Sappington, DHA, MBA, FACHE, CJCP, CPHQ, CPMSM, CAPPM, CIPM, a career-MSP, executive leader, consultant, advisor, and project manager specializing in medical staff affairs and healthcare regulatory compliance. Sappington spoke with us about her experiences serving as an interim director for a health system in Texas at the height of the pandemic.