2024

In this column, we often address physicians as providers: professionals who ensure workers across BC get the care they need to recover from work-related injuries. This month, we address you as workers yourselves: people who face unique physical and psychological risks at work.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection can be prevented with an effective vaccine, and chronic infection can be managed with antiviral medications. While there is no vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV), chronic HCV infection can be treated with direct acting antivirals. Treatment with direct acting antivirals cures more than 95% of people with chronic HCV infection and is associated with significant reductions in both liver-related[1] and non-liver-related[2] mortality.

After a few years in practice, I witnessed some of my older colleagues give up their hospital privileges. I recall listening to their stories at the time. They did not express any joy in their work. They were disillusioned and no longer felt valued for the work they were doing in the hospital. I remember thinking that I could learn from their experiences to try to avoid feeling what I now realize was probably them feeling burned out. I don’t think I was familiar with the concept of burnout at that time.