The Australian Medical Association has developed an online tool to assess the risk of physicians' fatigue, The Age reports.
Physicians use the Web site to track for one week their work, recreation and sleeping hours, and then the online tool provides them with a risk assessment. Physicians who work less than 50 hours per week are considered to be at low risk; physicians who work between 50 and 70 hours per week are considered to be at significant risk; and physicians who work more than 70 hours per week are considered to be at high risk.
Research has found that extreme fatigue can impact a physician's reaction time, attention and judgment, which could jeopardize patient safety, Australian Medical Association President Mukesh Haikerwal said. He added that the Web site could help physicians gain better working conditions and improve the safety of patients (Dunkerley, The Age, 1/20).