Changing the "working while sick" culture.
Clinicians often feel pressured to work while sick or fatigued because of cultural and system factors, including fear of failing colleagues or patients. Exploring findings from a previous study on presenteeism, this commentary spotlights the need for health care organizations to discourage clinicians from working while ill which poses risks to patients. The authors recommend strategies and policies to address this problem, including promoting professionalism that conveys physicians must be healthy enough to provide patient care.