Peer Support to Promote Surgeon Well-being: The APSA Program Experience

In brief

APSA developed a peer support program to address the emotional impact of adverse events and medical errors on pediatric surgeons. Survey data revealed that nearly half of members received no outreach after experiencing errors, prompting the Wellness Committee to create a structured support system for colleagues facing these inevitable professional challenges.

• Nearly half of pediatric surgeons receive no outreach after experiencing a serious adverse event or medical error.
• Peer support programs train physicians to provide emotional first aid to colleagues after adverse events.
• APSA developed a specialty-specific peer support program to address gaps in institutional responses to medical errors.
• Most pediatric surgeons experience trauma from medical errors but report low satisfaction with institutional support.
• Peer support extends beyond error-related events to any serious adverse outcome affecting surgeon well-being.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.