Sioux Falls is blessed with a very robust medical community. This medical commodity benefits everyone in our region and indeed around the world.

But it appears that there is a serious, very troubling, and very saddening health risk for our medical professionals.  Why aren't we talking about this?

Doctors across the nation are committing suicide at a rate of at least 400 doctors annually. This is according to an article posted on thedailybeast.com.

Since there is no organization that collects official data on doctor suicide it is believed that this number may actually be higher.

Because of a doctors knowledge of anatomy and lethal drug doses it is also believed that they have a far higher suicide completion rate.

The Journal of the American Medical Association found not only did physicians die more frequently from suicide than non-physicians, it concluded that male doctors kill themselves at a rate of 70% higher than other professionals. And among female doctors that rate ranged from 250% to 400%.

If you do the math on how this effects patients access to doctors it breaks down like this: A doctor will see approximately 2,300 patients per year. 400 physician suicides could mean that around 1 million Americans lose their doctors to suicide each year.

An article from healthline.com sites depression, addiction, stigma about depression and addiction, burnout, and the potential of a losing a medical license, as contributing factors to doctor suicide.

Do you find this as alarming as I do?

SEE ALSO:

More From KYBB-FM / B102.7