Sacred Moment Experiences Among Internal Medicine Physicians

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40445616/ Two AHRQ-funded studies examined ways to support internal medicine physicians' well-being. One study, published in JAMA Network Open, explored the impact of "sacred moments," or meaningful connections with patients. Sixty-eight percent of respondents reported having experienced a sacred moment, and those who did a few times per year or more had 0.29 times reduced odds of reporting extreme burnout compared with those who had fewer. Discussing these moments with colleagues was also linked to reduced burnout. A second study, published in the Journal of Patient Safety, surveyed 632 internists about human factors engineering (HFE). While 59.5 percent believed HFE could enhance their well-being by improving processes, teamwork, and leadership, 22.6 percent were unfamiliar with its principles, highlighting a need for greater awareness and involvement in designing supportive systems. Together, these findings suggest that fostering personal connections and making system-level changes may help reduce burnout and improve physician well-being. “Invert the Pyramid, Let Internists Design the Job as Pilots Do a Cockpit”: The Views of General Internal Medicine Physicians on Enhancing Well-Being Through Human Factors Engineering https://journals.lww.com/journalpatientsafety/fulltext/2025/10001/_invert_the_pyramid,_let_internists_design_the_job.7.aspx