Healthcare Needs More Chief Wellness Officers to Address Burnout and Its Impact

Managed Care Cast

As the prevalence of burnout among healthcare providers has increased over the last few years, it has raised attention to the issue. Burnout includes overwhelming exhaustion, feelings of cynicism and detachment from the job, and a sense of ineffectiveness and a lack of accomplishment. Among physicians, common drivers include excessive workloads, clerical burdens, organizational structures, and leadership culture. Greater attention to the issue, and the impact it can have on patient outcomes, has led to more organizations to implement interventions to address and alleviate burnout in healthcare. Bernadette Melnyk, PhD, RN, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN, vice president for health promotion, chief wellness officer and professor and dean of the college of nursing at The Ohio State University, highlighted the need for a chief wellness officer, same as healthcare has chief technology and quality officers, and some interventions being implemented. Learn more about burnout: Making The Case For The Chief Wellness Officer In America’s Health Systems: A Call To Action: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20181025.308059/full/ Physicians Are Pessimistic About Future of Healthcare, Highlight Extent of Social Determinants: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/physicians-are-pessimistic-about-future-of-healthcare-highlight-extent-of-social-determinants Physician Burnout Associated With Poorer Patient Outcomes: https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/physician-burnout-associated-with-poorer-patient-outcomes Dr W. Clay Jackson Discusses Identifying, Addressing Clinician Burnout: https://www.ajmc.com/conferences/psychcongress2018/dr-w-clay-jackson-discusses-identifying-addressing-clinician-burnout Will HHS' Strategy to Address Health IT–Related Physician Burden Provide Relief for Providers? https://www.ajmc.com/focus-of-the-week/will-hhs-strategy-to-address-health-itndashrelated-physician-burden-provide-relief-for-providers After Increasing for Several Years, Physician Burnout Shows Modest Decline: https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/after-increasing-for-several-years-physician-burnout-shows-modest-decline