Chronic exposure to human suffering at work takes a toll. The “compassion fatigue” as outlined by Figley as “the cost of caring”, it’s a profound exhaustion from others’ suffering that alters one’s fundamental beliefs. The general practitioner is on the front line of traumatic life stories and/or great suffering.In this study we sought to assess the risk of compassion fatigue among general practitioners (GP). Secondly, we looked for links between the Compassion Fatigue (CF) score and Burn Out score measured by the Compassion Fatigue and Satisfaction Test (CFST) as well as between the CF score and the professional empathy score measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE).This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study. To explore the risk of Compassion Fatigue among general practitioners, we used a questionnaire with three entities, the compassion fatigue test, the Jefferson scale of empathy and a professional and social questionnaireOf the 164 respondents, 72% were women, 47% were in a relationship, and 95% had a regular leisure activity. They reported for 70% experiencing personal trauma, and 50% reported having received psychological support. The study shows that 55.5% of the 164 respondents are at very high risk of compassion fatigue. The level of risk of compassion fatigue is significantly linked to practice structure, psychological support, and perceived quality of life. This score is linearly correlated with the risk of burnout. An inverse association is also shown: a low score on the JSE subsection "ability to empathize" is associated with a low CF score.This is a pilot study, the first study on the population of self-employed GP, which would need to be expanded nationally to limit biases and be more representative. The questionnaire title was neutral. Some GP expressed a lack of understanding of the subject, which probably led to a lack of interest from potential respondents.GP are at very high risk of compassion fatigue in this study. Beyond the impact on physician's health, this is a major public health issue amid today’s declining access to care.

A second victim is any healthcare professional who has been directly or indirectly involved in an adverse event or medical error that caused harm to a patient or resulted in the patient’s death, and who is negatively affected by the experience. The second victim phenomenon can lead to mental and physical health problems, reducing well-being and work ability.This study aims to determine the prevalence and influence of second victim phenomenon among primary health care setting in Estonia.Data were collected through an online survey conducted from May 19 to June 30, 2025. Recruitment was conducted through professional associations, social media, and the press.Altogether, 133 primary health care workers responded to the questionnaire, of whom 71% were doctors. Among respondents, 62% (n=82) reported being a second victim, and most of them (63%) experienced this more than once. The leading causes were patient death (36%) and preventable harm (29%), while near misses or no-harm incidents were reported by 7%. One-fifth (20%) experienced aggression from patients or relatives. Only 41% of family medicine workers reported receiving support after incidence—mostly from colleagues or family. Leadership support was reported by 17%, and professional psychological help by only 4%. Common reactions included guilt (87%), self-doubt (83%), depressive mood (78%), concentration difficulties (66%), sleep disorders (57%), and social isolation (28%). Almost all respondents valued trained peer support (96%), emotional support from colleagues (95%), reflection on emotional and ethical values (95%), open and blame-free discussion (94%), legal counseling (94%), psychological care (90%), rapid debriefing (90%), and communication support (90%).Nearly all respondents expressed a strong need for employer-driven support to help them cope and maintain performance after an incident. However, only a small fraction received adequate institutional or professional assistance.There is an urgent need for systemic changes and prioritizing the development of clear organizational protocols, mandatory peer-support programs, and access to psychological and legal counseling for primary health care workers suffering the second-victim experience.

General practitioners (GPs) face an increasing cognitive load, which exposes them to heightened risk of attentional fatigue, which may impair clinical decision-making and professional well-being. However, this phenomenon remains poorly studied in general practice.To measure the variation in sustained attentional fatigue as a function of time-on-task during the working week and to identify associated factors (work schedules, sleep duration, social jet-lag, perceived fatigue).Quantitative observational study including 30 outpatient general practitioners, stratified according to the presence or absence of chronic sleep debt. Four repeated 25-minute Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) sessions were performed by each participant: morning and end of day, beginning and end of week. This extended duration of the PVT, close to a real consultation, represents a relevant marker of sustained attention. Subjective fatigue was assessed by self-administered questionnaire pre- and post-task. Comparative models were used to examine the effects of time-on-task, timing of assessment, and sleep debt on performance.Interim analyses on 20 subjects revealed significant effects. Perceived sleepiness remained comparable between groups and stable throughout the week. However, objective measures showed that subjects with sleep debt exhibited impaired vigilance throughout the week compared to controls, who maintained stable performance with no morning/evening effect. Accumulated weekly sleep pressure exacerbated major attentional lapses in subjects with sleep debt.This study shed light on the cognitive mechanisms of underlying attentional fatigue in primary care and raises important questions about medical work organization, potential clinical effects of attentional overload, and long-term professional sustainability for GP’s.Attentional fatigue varies significantly according to sleep-wake patterns among GP’s. Chronic sleep debt is linked to decreased cognitive performance and a higher frequency of major attentional lapses.

Peer support is valued as an intervention that builds upon human connection between peers who have similar experiences and can be trusted confidantes.  As independent professionals, most family physicians have limited options to seek support, complicated by a culture that expects resiliency and self-management.The study purpose was to investigate the value and impact of local peer-support for family physicians and to explore how a close-to-home network of peer supporters could be sustained.Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to development, delivery, and evaluation of peer support training with mixed methods.  A peer-support trained family physician facilitated both virtual and in-person training with participants gaining knowledge, expertise and practice to become peer supporters.  Evaluation included surveys and interviews with participants.Seventeen physicians participated in the study. Benefits were attributed to the training phase, the overall value of peer support, and the importance of retaining a peer support program. Training sessions enhanced knowledge of participants by; 1) introducing a new way of listening, 2) promoted learning through a combination of didactic and experiential methods, and 3) learning new concepts related to peer support which increased confidence in supporting a peer. Peer support benefits included 1) feeling heard/validated, 2) feeling less alone, and 3) improved problem solving.  Considerations for sustained peer support include 1) a low-cost intervention, 2) experienced facilitator and training necessary, 3) availability of trained peers, and 4) a community-based approach could reduce barriers to reaching out for supportThe outcomes from our study indicate that peer support is universally supported by participants.  Immediate value was noted from the training received and the increased confidence to provide support to their colleagues with positive outcomes.  Peer support programs can mitigate some of the current stressors within the family medicine environment and, through the human connection, reduce some of the associated stigma in reaching out.Peer support is a viable, low-cost intervention which can decrease stress among family physicians. Expert training enables expansion of peer support, with increased knowledge and confidence among those trained which could lead to a train-the-trainer approach for expansion and sustainability.

Physicians work significantly longer hours compared to the general population and are at a higher risk of burnout. One major pain point for physicians, particularly general practitioners (GPs), is the amount of time they spend on administrative tasks. Physicians go into medicine to help patients. Overburdening them with administrative tasks compromises their wellbeing and negatively impacts physician retention. A national administrative burden survey was distributed in July/August 2025 to examine the causes and impacts of administrative burden, as well as possible solutions.To examine the issue of administrative burden among GPs in Canada.A cross-sectional survey was designed by individuals with research and subject matter expertise in administrative burden. The survey was distributed to Canadian physicians and medical learners through email distribution, social media posts, paid advertisements, and by leveraging external partners who sent the survey to their own networks. The survey was open for three weeks, and received a total of 1,979 responses, including 782 GPs. Descriptive statistics were generated. Chi-square and t-tests were run to determine demographic differences according to area of practice.GPs spend 10 hours/week on administrative tasks and 4.7 of those hours are considered unnecessary. Only 16% of GPs have access to an individual who could help them complete these tasks. 53% indicated that in the last 12 months, time spent on administrative tasks has increased. This is concerning, as 91% of respondents indicate that clinical documentation contributes to physician burnout. Encouragingly, 42% of GPs are using an AI scribe tool, and an additional 33% who aren’t using one yet are interested.GPs spend a significant amount of time on unnecessary administrative tasks, which may contribute to physician burnout. AI scribe tools may help reduce time spent on administrative tasks, but there remain several barriers that need to be addressed to increase uptake.Administrative burden is a significant issue in healthcare that needs to be addressed to improve physician wellness, quality of patient care and health system sustainability. Data from this survey will inform national recommendations and advocacy efforts to reduce unnecessary administrative work and improve the daily realities of medical practice in Canada.