Wellness: From an Activity to Fostering a Culture of Well-Being

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

10-15-2024

Publication Title

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry

Abstract

Objectives: This Workshop will share and demonstrate multiprong wellness strategies to help address physician burnout.

Methods: The attendees will engage in an interactive Workshop highlighting a wellness approach with patient well-being as a central theme. The content and the activities will be organized around 4 specific prongs: 1) healthy work environment; 2) efficient processes; 3) healthy people; and 4) safe teams.

Results: Healthy work environment aligns organizational policies with the values of those who work there. In this prong, focusing on “why” we do the work can be very powerful in sustaining professionals during times of stress. Through programming that addresses financial security, diversity and inclusion, psychological safety, and childcare challenges, we can demonstrate to our physician workforce that we respect and trust them. Efficient processes focus on “how” the work is done. In this prong, running listening sessions across the organization to better understand the processes of work and how easy or onerous it is to complete daily work can help elucidate the challenges. This allows leaders to understand the burnout drivers so that targeted interventions can be created. A sense of control and autonomy can reduce the feelings of helplessness that fuel burnout. The healthy people prong focuses on support for clinicians. One must consider the development of well-being programs that focus not only on reacting to stress, but also on prevention strategies. At the core of any programming must be the philosophy that self-care is a fundamental component of professionalism. The final prong is the creation of safe teams. Within this prong, a focus needs to be on how we work as teams with effective communication and promoting psychological safety. There needs to be space for humanness within medicine. We are not perfect. Indeed, we are imperfect people practicing medicine in an imperfect environment. We can build cohesiveness through peer support, especially after critical events, but also as a matter of routine.

Conclusions: This Workshop will highlight a comprehensive approach for health systems to drive patient care outcomes while fostering a culture of wellness.

Volume

63

Issue

10

First Page

S372

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