Prioritizing Well Being
Promoting and supporting physician well being is being acknowledged as a crucial responsibility for healthcare organizations. Making sure physicians are healthy themselves is a moral and ethical imperative, of course; but it’s also a bottom-line issue.
Physicians who are overstressed and heading for burnout may make medical errors, bring down patient satisfaction scores and contribute to other problems while prioritizing physician well being can increase engagement and retention and serve as a powerful recruiting tool.
What is a Well Being Advocate?
The Well Being Advocate is someone who voluntarily takes a strong interest in the adoption, implementation and success of Physician Well Being Resources within the organization. They understand the issues and solutions related to physician well being, have a deep understanding of both the internal and external resources available and are also able to make effective referrals to resources.
So, while the Advocate watches out for signs colleagues may be suffering from burnout, depression or other problems affecting their well being, he or she is also ready to offer ongoing support in non-crisis situations and to be a “voice of inspiration” supporting well being as a value in the organization.
The Case for Advocacy
VITAL WorkLife developed the Well Being Advocate Program after their research uncovered physicians reported multiple barriers in seeking help for well being issues. As part of their Physician Well Being Resources solution, the Well Being Advocate Program positively impacts an organization's work to create a culture of well being—while at the same time engaging physicians in supporting their colleagues and their own personal well being.
Contact us for more information on our Physician Well Being Resources and the Well Being Advocate Program. Read more about the Well Being Advocate Program, the Advocates responsibilities and why the program was developed in our article, "How to Improve Culture with a Well Being Advocate."
