The topic of sleep deprivation began to be addressed with the residency regulations about on-call.

So much of healthcare seems driven by expediency, efficiency, scheduling of tests and procedures, that we perhaps forget the purpose of healthcare - the restoration and maintenance of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social wellness of human beings. That needs to include professional caregivers.

It does seem reasonable that an elective patient have an understanding and be given options about receiving care from likely impaired caregivers. Sleep deprivation clearly creates some impairments. The way our healthcare system is driven, it is likely that we cannot rely on common sense and good will to do the appropriate thing with sleep deprivation.

In that setting, then, ity is not surprising that legislation is suggested. Of course then the lawsuits about the fatigue state of the caregiver will move forth with all of that complexity.

Is there some way to remember the purpose of healthcare as stated above and to remember that the most important ingredients are time and the value of interpersonal relationships? Then the system can gain some flexibility devoted to the wellness of people and not just the bottom line.

Very interesting topic...