October 18th is Doctor’s Day!
It is time to pay tribute to those who have the knowledge necessary to maintain health, and who help us prevent, treat and cure diseases. On this October 18th, Doctors’ Day , we want to not only remember the importance of medical professionals, but also express our gratitude, as they will always be our greatest motivation, our greatest inspiration!
That’s why we’ve prepared this special article, which talks about the origin of this date, brings important and current data about the profession, and gathers valuable tips that will help these professionals in their daily lives. Check it out!
Check out: 35 gift ideas for Doctors!
Why is October 18th Doctor’s Day?
In Brazil, as well as in Portugal, Italy, France china mobile phone number list Spain, Belgium and Poland, Doctor’s Day is celebrated on the same day that the Catholic Church pays homage to Saint Luke.
According to Christian tradition, Saint Luke, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, was a doctor and had studied medicine in Antioch, a city that today would be located somewhere in Syria.
For this reason, since the 15th century, Saint Luke has been considered the patron saint of doctors and October 18th is also Doctor’s Day.
Medicine: a profession that requires effort, dedication and vocation
The origins of Medicine date back to the earliest civilizations. However, as a science, it emerged in Ancient Greece, with Hippocrates, the famous Father of Medicine and author of the oath taken by graduates at their graduation ceremony to this day.
Since then, medicine has evolved a lot, gaining great support from technology. We see new methods, equipment, medicines and vaccines emerging at great speed.
Therefore, on this Doctor’s Day, ProDoctor Software expresses its gratitude to each professional who dedicates their life to caring for others.
We believe that the best way to congratulate doctors on this day is to thank them for their commitment and dedication, for their courage and selflessness, for their solidarity.
|Read also: 14 reasons that may be causing your fatigue .
Important facts about Medicine in Brazil
According to the most recent Medical Demographics october 18th is doctor’s day! there are currently more than 450,000 doctors working in Brazil.
The survey shows that in just over two decades, since 2000, when Brazil had
219,896 doctors, the number of professionals has more than doubled. In the same period, the country’s general population grew by around 27%.
In 2023, Brazil had 562,229 doctors registered in the 27 Regional Medical Councils (CRMs), thus reaching the mark of 2.6 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants in that period.
Poor distribution of professionals
But, despite this, the poor distribution of professionals still causes problems in several regions of the country.
The North of Brazil has 1.45 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, and the Northeast, 1.93. These two regions have rates below the national average. With the exception of Paraíba, the other 15 states that make up these two regions have less than 2.4 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants.
The Southeast region, in turn, has 3.39 doctors per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by the Central-West (3.10) and South (2.95). The North region has less than half the density of doctors in the Southeast.
Doctor’s Day: the biggest challenges facing the profession today
Medicine in Brazil and around the world faces increasingly complex challenges, which directly impact the routine and well-being of healthcare professionals.
According to a study by global consultancy Ernst & Young (EY) , the main obstacles identified include resistance to technology adoption, uncompetitive salaries, lack of investment, talent retention and the growing number of cases of burnout and depression among healthcare professionals.
In the international section of the survey, which covered 11 countries, 38% of doctors mentioned work overload as a significant reason for considering leaving the profession.
According to the MedScape study “Remuneration and satisfaction of Brazilian doctors – 2022”, professionals work up to 55 hours a week doing shifts and other services – 11 hours more than a standard working day.
Additionally, 42% of respondents cited lack of autonomy as a factor negatively impacting their practice, while 27% cited concerns about patient safety and moral harm as growing challenges.
Read also: Digital signature in Electronic Medical Records protects doctors in court
In Brazil, these problems are compounded by the lack of infrastructure and uncompetitive salaries , especially in the public sector, where insufficient pay devalues the profession.
The lack of investment also limits access to adequate equipment, which directly affects the quality of care provided to patients.
Mental Health of Medical Professionals
Another point highlighted by the deb directory study is the increase in cases of burnout and depression among doctors, highlighting the impact that working conditions have on the mental health of professionals.
The constant pressure to keep up, combined with the lack of emotional support , makes the work environment even more challenging.
Technology as an ally in overcoming challenges
Given this scenario, the adoption of technological solutions appears to be a promising solution.
According to Leandro Berbert, leading partner for health and well-being at EY Brazil, the sector must move towards hybrid models of digitally enabled care, which enable more efficient care and ease the burden on doctors.
Telemedicine tools and medical management software, such as ProDoctor , are examples of how technology can help optimize processes and improve the efficiency of clinics and hospitals, allowing doctors to focus on direct patient care.
As the MedScape study shows, around 22 hours per week are spent on management and bureaucracy alone, while 39 hours per week are dedicated to patient care.
The transition to a more technological management model not only facilitates talent retention, but also responds to many of the structural challenges, such as bureaucracy and lack of infrastructure, providing a more efficient and less stressful work environment.
