WIHI: Joy in Work: An Antidote to Today's Burnout in Health Care

Date: May 5, 2016

Featuring:

• Derek Feeley, President and CEO, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
• Stephen Swensen, MD, MMM, FACR, Medical Director for Leadership and Organization Development, Mayo Clinic
• Kathy Kerscher, Team Leader of Operations Primary Care, Bellin Health
• Joanna D’Aflitti, MD, MPH, Associate Medical Director for Primary Care Quality and Innovation, Boston Medical Center

When we hear about physician and staff burnout these days, a lot of attention focuses on the pressures health care is under to deliver much, much better care, much more cost effectively. These pressures and expectations are impacting hospital systems, already busy office practices, and, very importantly, individual practitioners themselves who often feel they’re being asked to do more without the necessary resources. What can make the difference between having the tools and the support to manage new realities vs. being overwhelmed and drained? Plenty —​ and that’s why we hope you’ll listen to this WIHI.

 

Our panelists have been confronting the problems of burnout and staff frustration head on in their own organizations, and they came to WIHI to share what they’re learning. Joy in Work is a hugely important topic for the health care workforce and for the patients whose care can be compromised when staff aren’t at their best, but it is not about pizza parties and papering over the issues. Instead, it’s about finding new ways to remove day-to day barriers on the job; to improve the systems that are supposed to help with work flow but aren’t always delivering, such as electronic health records (EHRs); and to ensure that leaders at all levels are listening, really listening.