In the latest from MM+M, Justin Kovarsy, Creative Director of FCB Health New York, explores “the tragic reality of disposable doctors,” and the societal failure to address the mental health crisis among health workers.
He notes that suicide rates among doctors in the US doubled in 2022, and emphasized other challenges doctors face, including grueling schedules and the rise in violent incidents targeting them.
“Approximately 50% of surgeons and specialists work more than 80 hours a week. About half work consecutive shifts of more than 30 continuous hours,” Justin said. “Today, approximately 75% of all workplace assaults occur in the healthcare sector. The result? Doctors are becoming patients in their own emergency rooms.”
He said that FCB Health New York’s latest initiative, in collaboration with Disappearing Doctors, aims to "not only memorialize these people but also spark an urgently needed conversation.”
The “Disposables,” a series of portraits of doctors who died by suicide, was created using medical waste donated by doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals.
“To create the work, we collaborated closely with the families of those lost, building their stories and insights into the very fabric of the initiative, Justin said. “This problem — so massive, so entrenched— can feel paralyzing. We helped them channel grief into action.”
