Essential workers, including the health workforce, were under increased stress and mental health risks in addition to infection risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.Aggravated levels of psychological distress ought to be recognised as a public health priority, and solutions are needed to address the consequences so that the potential current mental health conditions do not become disabilities. Therefore, the Expert Panel on effective ways of investing in health (EXPH) was requested by the European Commission to provide an opinion on supporting the mental health of the health workforce and of other essential workers.
The Opinion identifies the specific factors influencing the mental health of the health workforce and of other essential workers. It describes the evidence on effective and/or promising interventions, and provides evidence on cost-effectiveness, where available.Due consideration was given to providing for the needs of those with pre-existing mental health issues. The characteristics of those interventions are described, elaborating on the necessary preconditions to ensure the efficient delivery of these interventions in an effective, cost-effective, affordable and inclusive manner, across settings and jurisdictions. On the basis of this evidence, recommendations and action points were developed, emphasising the importance of involving both EU and national policy makers alike, raising awareness and engaging senior managers in sectors with a high share of essential workers, and, potentiating the role of mental health and occupational health practitioners in supporting the mental health of workers.
Mental health, defined as lack of mental illness and high levels of mental wellbeing, is influenced by a complex interplay of determinants. At work, occupation-specific determinants of mental health interact with non-occupational-specific characteristics. A conceptual framework was developed to represent the state of mental health,determinants / factors, and possible mental health trajectories over time in the face of a given stressor. The conceptual framework illustrates the potential impact of primary,secondary and tertiary prevention interventions occurring at different levels. These include: the health and social/community care sectors, workplace-level interventions(such as occupational health programmes and managerial-level changes), and economic/social policy measures. Mental health of essential workers can therefore be supported by interventions enacted within and outside of the health sector at primary,secondary, and tertiary prevention levels. Interventions in multiple settings at various levels can work synergistically to address a wide range of risk factors and potentiate awide range of protective factors. The Swiss cheese model of accident causation is a helpful heuristic to illustrate this synergy. This model demonstrates the need for multiple interventions targeting multiple risk and protective factors occurring at multiple levels to ensure that all individuals benefit from them and no one individual is left behind. It suggests the priorities of different levels of interventions, from large scale interventions supporting the largest share of essential workers, to the interventions targeting organisational and team characteristics, job characteristics and lastly targeting modifiable individual characteristics. Specifically, post-traumatic stress disorder, burnout and moral injury are associated with working in stressful conditions, and could be anticipated and prevented in the workplace, or addressed when present.
Based on available evidence and identified limitations, gaps and challenges, eight recommendations with several action points are developed: change focus to mental wellbeing; treat mental wellbeing as an inherent part of the workplace and its organisation; create a supportive environment at EU-level; create an appropriate cost-effectiveness methodology; build and share knowledge on interventions; have a common EU-wide view of mental health care; prepare organisations and their leaders to address mental wellbeing of workers; and provide timely and adequate access to care when preventive efforts are not effective.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Government: Ensuring Workers' Physical and Mental Health (Support Workers' and Learners' Mental Health & Well-Being).
Supporting Mental Health of Health Workforce and Other Essential Workers: Opinion of the Expert Panel on Effective Ways of Investing in Health (EXPH)
[This is an excerpt.] Increases in mental health conditions have been documented among the general population and health care workers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (1–3). Public health workers might be at similar risk for negative mental health consequences because of the prolonged demand for responding to the pandemic and for implementing an unprecedented vaccination campaign. The extent of mental health conditions among public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, is uncertain. A 2014 survey estimated that there were nearly 250,000 state and local public health workers in the United States (4). To evaluate mental health conditions among these workers, a nonprobability–based online survey was conducted during March 29–April 16, 2021, to assess symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidal ideation among public health workers in state, tribal, local, and territorial public health departments. Among 26,174 respondents, 52.8% reported symptoms of at least one mental health condition in the preceding 2 weeks, including depression (30.8%), anxiety (30.3%), PTSD (36.8%), or suicidal ideation (8.4%). The highest prevalence of symptoms of a mental health condition was among respondents aged ≤29 years (range = 13.6%–47.4%) and transgender or nonbinary persons (i.e., those who identified as neither male nor female) of all ages (range = 30.4%–65.5%). Public health workers who reported being unable to take time off from work were more likely to report adverse mental health symptoms. Severity of symptoms increased with increasing weekly work hours and percentage of work time dedicated to COVID-19 response activities. Implementing prevention and control practices that eliminate, reduce, and manage factors that cause or contribute to public health workers’ poor mental health might improve mental health outcomes during emergencies. [To read more, click View Resource.]
Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicidal Ideation Among State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, March–April 2021
In the midst of the Spring 2020 initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, members of the Psychiatry Department of Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital rapidly created and implemented a brief, behavioral skills-based intervention program, “CopeNYP”, to address the immediate mental health needs of the employees of the hospital and medical school. We describe the development, implementation and evolution of this telehealth-delivered program staffed primarily by in-house clinical psychologists, postdoctoral fellows, pre-doctoral interns and counselors who were redeployed or volunteered their time to provide urgent support for employees. We discuss the challenges and lessons learned in providing brief, skills-based psychological interventions for employees subjected to chronic stress. As the impact of the pandemic became prolonged, employees faced compounding stressors including social isolation, fear of infection, grief and loss, and sequelae of COVID-19-related illness combined with work-related demands. Our goal is to present our program design, implementation, and utilization as a blueprint for other institutions that would like to develop an evidence-based clinician-staffed psychological intervention program to support ongoing employee mental health needs.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Ensuring Physical & Mental Health (Mental Health).
The CopeNYP Program: A Model for Brief Treatment of Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers and Hospital Staff
[This is an excerpt.] This report explores the race, ethnicity, gender, language, and disability makeup of Oregon’s licensed health care professionals compared with that of the state. Across the country, health access and outcomes remain inequitable by race/ethnicity, gender, disability, language and other characteristics.1 For instance, life expectancy, infant mortality and preterm birth rates, as well as prevalence of obesity and hypertension all differ by race and ethnicity. Additionally, there are differences in access to care between racial and ethnic groups. People of color are less likely to have insurance coverage and receive needed dental care. Individuals with physical disabilities or cognitive limitations have higher prevalence of chronic conditions compared with individuals with no disabilities,2 and patients with limited English proficiency are more likely to experience adverse events in six US hospitals (including higher levels of physical harm) compared with patients who speak English.3 The COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on communities of color,tribal communities, and other historically underrepresented communities, and many historical inequities widened during that time. Evidence suggests that greater diversity in the health care workforce advances cultural competency and increases access to high-quality health care.4,5 Accordingly, increasing the proportion of underrepresented US racial and ethnic groups among health care professionals in the workforce may improve quality of care. Given these health inequities, it is important to foster a workforce that is culturally and linguisticallyrepresentative of the communities it serves. This report aims to examine the current makeup of the workforce inOregon and the extent to which it is representative of Oregon’s population. [To read more, click View Resource.]
The Diversity of Oregon’s Licensed Health Care Workforce
AIM: Aim of this study is to systematically review and synthesize available evidence to identify the association between nurse staffing methodologies and nurse and patient outcomes. DESIGN: Systematic review and narrative synthesis. Data sources: A search of MEDLINE (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO) and Web of Science was conducted for studies published in English between January 2000 and January 2020. REVIEW METHODS: The reporting of this review and narrative synthesis was guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic and meta-analysis guidelines (PRISMA) statement and data synthesis guided by the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guideline. The quality of each article was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one used the mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratio methodology and one study assessed the number of nurse hours per patient day staffing methodology. Both methodologies were mandated. All studies that reported on nurse outcomes demonstrated an improvement associated with the implementation of mandated minimum nurse-to-patient ratio, but findings related to patient outcomes were inconclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on the impact of specific nurse staffing methodologies and patient and nurse outcomes remains highly limited. Future studies that examine the impact of specific staffing methodologies on outcomes are required to inform this fundamental area of management and practice.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Improving Workload & Workflows (Safe & Appropriate Staffing).
The Impact of Nurse Staffing Methodologies on Nurse and Patient Outcomes: A Systematic Review
Despite many studies on police stress, there is little research on interventions to promote their well-being. Moreover, most studies of police stress have been predominately on male samples, with female police officers often being neglected. On this premise, the purpose of the present study was to develop and determine the efficacy of resilience training program by evaluating its impact on occupational stress, resilience, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being. Two hundred and fifty female police officers from the Southern part of India were recruited for the study. The study adopted a pre-post-follow-up research design. Resilience training with components such as self-awareness, positive attitude, emotional management, and interpersonal skills were developed uniquely for this study, based on protective model of resilience. Sixty-three female police officers, who fulfilled the criteria, were randomly assigned into two groups namely, experimental (n = 33) and control group (n = 30). Resilience training was given to the experimental group thrice a week for nearly 2 months, and control group was not given any training. Data were collected at three time periods, i.e., before training, a week after training, and 2 months after training. The statistical analysis, using repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) was carried out. The results revealed that resilience training was effective in enhancing resilience, job satisfaction, and psychological well-being of female police officers and in reducing occupational stress. Medium effect sizes were reported. The qualitative feedback was positive regarding the resilience training program, supporting the empirical evidence for the effectiveness of resilience training program. The study had implications for theory and practice in police research.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Public Safety Organizations: Actionable Strategies (Mental Health & Stress/Trauma Supports)
The Impact of Resilience Training on Occupational Stress, Resilience, Job Satisfaction, and Psychological Well-being of Female Police Officers
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous concerns about the nursing workforce have been reported. This study used data from two surveys conducted in California to assess the current and future supply and demand of RNs and to learn how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting this essential workforce. METHODS: Preliminary data from the 2020 Survey of California Registered Nurses and final data from the 2019-20 Annual Schools Survey were analyzed. These surveys provided data that were used to produce a preliminary update to the forecasts of RN supply and demand in California. The supply projections are based on a stock-and-flow modeland the demand projections are based on historic RN employment and rates of hospital utilization by population age group. RESULTS: The preliminary data from the 2020 Survey of Registered Nurses indicate that many older RNs have left nursing,and a large number intend to retire or quit within the next two years. At the same time, unemployment among younger RNs increased and there were (small) decreases in new enrollments in RN education programs during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 academic years. Together, these changes have led to a reduction in the supply of RNs compared with previous projections. A shortage of RNs is estimated to exist in 2021. RN education enrollments are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels during the 2022-23 academic year, which will lead to a closing of the shortage by 2026. DISCUSSION: With a shortage of RNs likely underway now, employers need to redouble their efforts to retain RNs and develop career paths for newly-graduated RNs. They also need to rapidly develop and implement strategies to mitigate the potential harm of shortages over the next five years.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Government: Optimizing Workload & Workflows (Support & Ensure Safe Staffing).
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on California’s Registered Nurse Workforce: Preliminary Data
BACKGROUND: While burnout is not a new concept, combating it is becoming an increasingly important focus for organizations across all industries. Recently, the World Health Organization recognized burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” (WHO, 2019), and it was included in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases, where it is defined as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center addresses burnout at the institutional level in support of all 22,000 workforce members. One avenue of this work focuses on mentoring. Mentorship, both formal and informal, has demonstrated positive effects to include empirical investigations that demonstrate its benefit in reducing risk of burnout in multiple settings for a variety of audiences (Qian et al., 2014; Thomas & Lankau, 2009; van Emmerik, 2004; Varghese at al., 2020). Although mentoring is not as flashy as other interventions, what the last year has shown is that people need human connection now more than ever. METHODS: In order to investigate the relationship between burnout and mentoring in our organization, we analyzed responses to our biennial voluntary employee survey, in which all employees were asked whether they are involved in a mentoring relationship and completed a single-item burnout scale. We analyzed the survey data using a chi-square test and found that employees participating in mentoring relationships were less likely to report burnout than employees who are not participating in a mentoring relationship, χ2 (1, 14,486) = 17.431, p < 0.005. The same pattern held for all types of employees; faculty, classified staff, leaders, clinical employees, and non-clinical employees, indicating that the experience of mentorship may be universal regardless of role, rank, and type of work. We suspect that the benefits of mentoring are bi-directional for mentors and mentees, though this should be investigated directly.Both formal and informal types of mentoring programs exist within MD Anderson to support retention, professional fulfillment, and reduce burnout. All employees have access to a centralized online mentoring platform to find a mentor. Formal mentoring support is also provided through various programs developed for specific professional cohorts, including physicians, advanced practice providers, and registered nurses. In addition, informal mentoring support is offered in the form of employee volunteer wellness champions. Together, these formal and informal mentoring programs have positively influenced burnout across the organization.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Meaningful Rewards& Recognition (Career Supports and Development)
The Positive Impact of Mentoring on Burnout: Organizational Research and Best Practice Interventions for Cancer Hospital Employees
INTRODUCTION: Psychological safety is the shared belief that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking. Its presence improves innovation and error prevention. This evidence synthesis had 3 objectives: explore the current literature regarding psychological safety, identify methods used in its assessment and investigate for evidence of consequences of a psychologically safe environment. METHODS: We searched multiple trial registries through December 2018. All studies addressing psychological safety within healthcare workers were included and reviewed for methodological limitations. A thematic analysis approach explored the presence of psychological safety. Content analysis was utilised to evaluate potential consequences. RESULTS: We included 62 papers from 19 countries. The thematic analysis demonstrated high and low levels of psychological safety both at the individual level in study participants and across the studies themselves. There was heterogeneity in responses across all studies, limiting generalisable conclusions about the overall presence of psychological safety. A wide range of methods were used. Twenty-five used qualitative methodology, predominantly semi-structured interviews. Thirty quantitative or mixed method studies used surveys. Ten studies inferred that low psychological safety negatively impacted patient safety. Nine demonstrated a significant relationship between psychological safety and team outcomes. The thematic analysis allowed the development of concepts beyond the content of the original studies. This analytical process provided a wealth of information regarding facilitators and barriers to psychological safety and the development of a model demonstrating the influence of situational context. DISCUSSION: This evidence synthesis highlights that whilst there is a positive and demonstrable presence of psychological safety within healthcare workers worldwide, there is room for improvement. The variability in methods used demonstrates scope to harmonise this. We draw attention to potential consequences of both high and low psychological safety. We provide novel information about the influence of situational context on an individual's psychological safety and offer more detail about the facilitators and barriers to psychological safety than seen in previous reviews. There is a risk of participation bias - centres involved in safety research may be more aligned to these ideals. The data in this synthesis are useful for institutions looking to improve psychological safety by providing a framework from which modifiable factors can be identified.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Empowering Worker & Learner Voice (Psychological Safety).
The Presence and Potential Impact of Psychological Safety in the Healthcare Setting: An Evidence Synthesis
BACKGROUND: Clerical burdens have strained primary care providers already facing a shifting health care landscape and workforce shortages. These pressures may cause burnout and job dissatisfaction, with negative implications for patient care. Medical scribes, who perform real-time electronic health record documentation, have been posited as a solution to relieve clerical burdens, thus improving provider satisfaction and other outcomes.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to identify and synthesize the published research on medical scribe utilization in primary care and safety net settings.
RESEARCH DESIGN: We conducted a review of the literature to identify outcomes studies published between 2010 and 2020 assessing medical scribe utilization in primary care settings. Searches were conducted in PubMed and supplemented by a review of the gray literature. Articles for inclusion were reviewed by the study authors and synthesized based on study characteristics, medical scribe tasks, and reported outcomes.
RESULTS: We identified 21 publications for inclusion, including 5 that examined scribes in health care safety net settings. Scribe utilization was consistently reported as being associated with improved productivity and efficiency, provider experience, and documentation quality. Findings for patient experience were mixed.
CONCLUSIONS: Published studies indicate scribe utilization in primary care may improve productivity, clinic and provider efficiencies, and provider experience without diminishing the patient experience. Further large-scale research is needed to validate the reliability of study findings and assess additional outcomes, including how scribes enhance providers’ ability to advance health equity.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Improving Workload & Workflows (Reducing Administrative Burdens).
The Use of Medical Scribes in Primary Care Settings: A Literature Synthesis
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted concern about the integrity of the US public health infrastructure. Federal, state, and local governments spend $93 billion annually on public health in the US, but most of this spending is at the state level. Thus, shoring up gaps in public health preparedness and response requires an understanding of state spending. We present state spending trends in eight categories of public health activity from 2008 through 2018. We obtained data from the Census Bureau for all states except California and coded the data by public health category. Although overall national health expenditures grew by 4.3 percent in this period, state governmental public health spending saw no statistically significant growth between 2008 and 2018 except in injury prevention. Moreover, state spending levels on public health were not restored after cuts experienced during the Great Recession, leaving states ill equipped to respond to COVID-19 and other emerging health needs.
US Public Health Neglected: Flat or Declining Spending Left States Ill Equipped to Respond to COVID-19: Study Examines US Public Health Spending
Implicit racial bias is a persistent and pervasive challenge within healthcare education and training settings. A recent systematic review reported that 84% of included studies (31 out of 37) showed evidence of slight to strong pro-white or light skin tone bias amongst healthcare students and professionals. However, there remains a need to improve understanding about its impact on healthcare students and how they can be better supported. This narrative review provides an overview of current evidence regarding the role of implicit racial bias within healthcare education, considering trends, factors that contribute to bias, and possible interventions. Current evidence suggests that biases held by students remain consistent and may increase during healthcare education. Sources that contribute to the formation and maintenance of implicit racial bias include peers, educators, the curriculum, and placements within healthcare settings. Experiences of implicit racial bias can lead to psychosomatic symptoms, high attrition rates, and reduced diversity within the healthcare workforce. Interventions to address implicit racial bias include an organizational commitment to reducing bias in hiring, retention, and promotion processes, and by addressing misrepresentation of race in the curriculum. We conclude that future research should identify, discuss, and critically reflect on how implicit racial biases are enacted and sustained through the hidden curriculum and can have detrimental consequences for racial and ethnic minority healthcare students.
Understanding Healthcare Students’ Experiences of Racial Bias: A Narrative Review of the Role of Implicit Bias and Potential Interventions in Educational Settings
OBJECTIVE: The American Academy of Family Physicians has launched a series of Innovation Labs to identify and demonstrate innovations essential to optimizing the family medicine experience. Our initial lab provided proof that using an Al Assistant can significantly reduce documentation burden and family physician burnout. Ten clinicians in 3 practices showed that this innovation dramatically reduced documentation time by 62% during clinic, 76% during after-hours, and was called "a breakthrough" by some clinicians. This report is on the second phase of the lab, which included family physicians and primary care clinicians across the country. It studied the adoption, use, and impact of the Al Assistant by primary care clinicians. The goal was to assess whether an Al assistant is essential to and readily adopted by family physicians. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The lab studied the adoption and impact of an Al Assistant used for visit note completion for 30 days by over 132 family physicians and primary care clinicians. Adoption was assessed based on the number of participants agreeing to buy the solution and the impact realized during the lab trial. The effect was evaluated by a quantitative assessment of documentation time (n = 132) and a qualitative participant survey (n = 40). RESULTS: The lab participants represented family medicine and other primary care clinicians. Of the 132 studied, 102 completed the trial, 61 participants fully adopted the solution as paying customers after the lab, representing a 60% adoption rate. These adopters saw a 72% reduction in their median documentation time per note. This resulted in a calculated time savings of 3.3 hours per week per clinician. In addition, participants reported improved satisfaction with their workload and overall with their practice. CONCLUSION: An Al Assistant for Documentation significantly reduced documentation time and burden; it provided more time, flexibility, and freedom for adopters. Clinicians were more satisfied with their notes, saying they were more meaningful and professional. Lab participants who did not adopt fell into four categories: (1) they did not have a significant documentation burden at the start, (2) their EMR workflow worked well for them, (3) their EMR did not yet integrate with the solution, or (4) they were too challenged to trial the Al Assistant fully. We conclude that an Al assistant for Documentation is an essential innovation for all family physicians who have documentation burden and experience burnout. It can help optimize their family medicine experience. The Labs will now enter phase 3, where the goal is to educate the membership on the category of solutions: Al Assistants for Documentation. Our webinars and toolkit will help the membership understand who the innovation works for and who it does not and how it works and its best practices
Using an AI Assistant to Reduce Documentation Burden in Family Medicine
This article reflects on the process, learnings, and success of utilizing a common compensation philosophy and pay strategy for registered nurses to pursue strategically important organizational and professional goals. This article reviews the current state of nursing compensation practices and identifies those pay strategies than can be used to accelerate goal achievement and improve organizational performance. Developed by a team of chief nursing officers with staff input, specific policy, structure, and tactics were deployed and sustained over a period of 10 years to successfully advance the professional nursing organization as well as meet key performance metrics of the health system.
Utilizing Compensation Strategy to Build a Loyal and Engaged Workforce
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is implementing a Whole Health System (WHS) of care that empowers and equips Veterans to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest, and increasingly leaders recognize the need and value in implementing a similar approach to support the health and well-being of employees. The purpose of this paper is to do the following: 1) provide an overview of the WHS of care in VHA and applicability in addressing employee resiliency; 2) provide a brief history of employee well-being efforts in VHA to date; 3) share new priorities from VHA leadership as they relate to Employee Whole Health strategy and implementation; and 4) provide a summary of the impacts of WHS of care delivery on employees. The WHS of care utilizes all therapeutic, evidence-based approaches to support self-care goals and personal health planning. Extending these approaches to employees builds upon 10 years of foundational work supporting employee health and well-being in VHA. In 2017, one facility in each of the 18 Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs) in VHA was selected to participate in piloting the WHS of care with subsequent evaluation by VA’s Center for Evaluating Patient-Centered Care (EPCC). Early outcomes, from an employee perspective, suggest involvement in the delivery of the WHS of care and personal use of the whole health approach have a meaningful impact on the well-being of employees and how they experience the workplace. During the COVID-19 pandemic, VHA has continued to support employees through virtual resources to support well-being and resiliency. VHA's shift to this patient-centered model is supporting not only Veteran care but also employee health and well-being at a time when increased support is needed.
Veterans Health Administration’s Whole Health System of Care: Supporting the Health, Well-Being, and Resiliency of Employees
These are challenging times for physicians. Extensive changes in the practice environment have altered the nature of physicians’ interactions with patients and their role in the health care delivery system. Many physicians feel as if they are “cogs in the wheel” of austere corporations that care more about productivity and finances than compassion or quality. They often do not see how the strategy and plan of their organization align with the values of the profession. Despite their expertise, they frequently do not feel they have a voice or input in the operational plan of their work unit, department, or organization. At their core, the authors believe all of these factors represent leadership issues. Many models of leadership have been proposed, and there are a number of effective philosophies and approaches. Here, the authors propose a new integrative model of Wellness-Centered Leadership (WCL). WCL includes core skills and qualities from the foremost leadership philosophies along with evidence on the relationship between leadership and physician well-being and distills them into a single framework designed to cultivate leadership behaviors that promote engagement and professional fulfillment. The 3 elements of WCL are: care about people always, cultivate individual and team relationships, and inspire change. A summary of the mindset, behaviors, and outcomes of the elements of the WCL model is presented, and the application of the elements for physician leaders is discussed. The authors believe that learning and developing the skills that advance these elements should be the aspiration of all health care leaders and a foundational focus of leadership development programs. If cultivated, the authors believe that WCL will empower individual and team performance to address the current problems faced by health care organizations as well as the iterative innovation needed to address challenges that may arise in the decades to come.
Wellness-Centered Leadership: Equipping Health Care Leaders to Cultivate Physician Well-Being and Professional Fulfillment
[This is an excerpt.] The provider industry is caught in the midst of a widespread labor crunch that, according to recent data, shows no sign of slowing down in the months and years to come. At best, the shortage of workers has led to incremental increases in labor expenses and warnings to investors that margins may run a bit tighter in the coming quarters. At worst, understaffed units, rampant overtime and burnout are leading a growing number of nurses and other healthcare workers to retire or transition to another industry. These shortages have also fueled labor disputes from New York to California, the results of which are often worker strikes and subsequent disruptions in patient care. The short- and long-term threats of understaffing have led several systems to open their wallets. Among the most prominent of these efforts came from Washington-based Providence, which announced this month that it would be investing more than $220 million into various bonuses and pay adjustments in an effort to retain its more than 120,000 employees and fill its roughly 17,000 job openings. Recent weeks have also seen reports of five-figure signing bonuses for nurses and a return of the workforcewide retention bonuses that were common during the first year of the pandemic. [To read more, click View Resource.]
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Meaningful Rewards & Recognition (Meaningful Recognition)
Will Bonuses and Benefits Be Enough to Tackle Healthcare's Workforce Shortages?
[This is an excerpt.] Effective January 1, 2022, new and revised workplace violence prevention standards will apply to all Joint Commission-accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals. According to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the incidence of violence–related health care worker injuries has steadily increased for at least a decade. Incidence data reveal that in 2018 health care and social service workers were five times more likely to experience workplace violence than all other workers—comprising 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work. However, workplace violence is underreported, indicating that the actual rates may be much higher. Exposure to workplace violence can impair effective patient care and lead to psychological distress, job dissatisfaction, absenteeism, high turnover, and higher costs. The high incidence of workplace violence prompted the creation of new accreditation requirements. The new and revised Joint Commission standards provide a framework to guide hospitals in developing effective workplace violence prevention systems, including leadership oversight, policies and procedures, reporting systems, data collection and analysis, post-incident strategies, training, and education to decrease workplace violence. [To read more, click View Resource.]
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Professional Associations: Spotlights: Professional Associations Operational Strategies (Ensuring Physical & Mental Health).
Workplace Violence Prevention Standards
In 2011, the Education Health Center Initiative produced the Education Health Center Toolkit with funding from The Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation. In 2019, EHCI, with funding provided by the Health Resources & Services Administration, updated the Toolkit to provide a resource reflecting the current environment for Community Health Centers considering developing a Graduate Medical Education program. The Guide was formally approved by HRSA Spring 2020.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Improving Workload & Workflows (Safe & Appropriate Staffing).
2020 Education Health Center Guide
The mission and value statements of healthcare organizations serve as the foundational philosophy that informs all aspects of the organization. The ultimate goal is seamless alignment of values to mission in a way that colors the overall life and culture of the organization. However, full alignment between healthcare organizational values and mission in a fashion that influences the daily life and culture of healthcare organizations does not always occur. Grounded in the belief that a lack of organizational alignment to explicit organizational mission and value statements often stems from the failure to develop processes that enable realization of the leadership's good intentions, the authors propose an organizational ethics dashboard to empower leaders of healthcare organizations to assess the adequacy of systems in place to support alignment with the stated ethical mission.
This resource is found in our Actionable Strategies for Health Organizations: Aligning Values (Invest/Advocate for Patients, Communities, & Workers).
