Does Your Surgeon Have A Drinking Problem?

Is it possible that your Surgeon has a drinking problem?  That's the question that many are asking after a MSN Health report hit the internet yesterday.

The anonymous online survey found one conclusive thing, Alcohol use disorders are an issue with American surgeons.

Is is something that could effect you?  Find out below.

The anonymous poll found that 15 percent of surgeons suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence. Almost 14 percent are male surgeons and 26 percent are female.

Those numbers are higher than the 8 to 12 percent alcohol abuse rates among the public.

Even with the drinking issues, the chance of a patient being injured by a drunk surgeon is about one in 10,000.

Surgeons who made a major medical mistake were more likely to be struggling with alcohol abuse or dependence. So were doctors who were either depressed, emotionally exhausted, suicidal, "distressed" or "burned out."

With such a high stress job, are you surprised that the dependence numbers are on the rise?