Joint solution to be called SafeHaven with plans to start first pilot in June 2020.
MINNEAPOLIS and RICHMOND, VA (May 11, 2020) – To support the needs of physicians and physician assistants (PAs) struggling with stress, burnout and the effects of COVID-19, the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) and VITAL WorkLife are strategically partnering to offer physicians and PAs a comprehensive set of well being resources they can use without risk to their medical license.
MSV will administer the program—called SafeHaven—for the state of Virginia. VITAL WorkLife will offer the resources to support the physicians and PAs who participate. The resources offered will be VITAL WorkLife’s Physician Well Being Resources solution, a comprehensive set of tools that include peer coaching, elite concierge services and expanded behavioral health resources to promote work/life balance and well being for physicians, PAs and their families.
Plans are in place to start working with several healthcare organizations with the expected pilot launch date of June 1, and additional healthcare organizations and individuals will be added in the second half of the year.
“As this legislation was coming together, we knew we needed to partner with the best in the industry and we are so excited to be working with VITAL WorkLife,” said Melina Davis, CEO and EVP of the Medical Society of Virginia.
“We recognized immediately how groundbreaking this legislation is and how important these new protections are for medical professionals seeking confidential support for themselves. Offering our solution to physicians and PAs across Virginia is the right thing to do, especially during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacting the healthcare community,” said Mitchell Best, CEO of VITAL WorkLife.
SafeHaven was created by the passage of the Virginia legislation, which is the first of its kind in the nation, signed in March 2020. The law allows healthcare providers to seek professional support to address career fatigue, burnout and behavioral health concerns with confidentiality and civil protections. This will allow physicians and PAs, who typically avoided using such programs because they were unprotected, to get the help they really need without fear of undue repercussions.
Contact:
Leonard Pesheck: Leonard.Pesheck@VITALWorkLife.com
Mary Beth McIntire: MMcIntire@MSV.org
About VITAL WorkLife
VITAL WorkLife, Inc. is a physician-focused national behavioral health consulting practice supporting all dimensions of well being in the workplace with a multitude of offerings. Serving the U.S. healthcare industry since 2007, our national team of certified physician peer coaches and senior behavioral health consultants deliver life-changing well being solutions. VITALWorkLife.com
About MSV
The Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) serves as the voice for more than 30,000 physicians, residents, medical students, physician assistants and physician assistant students, representing all medical specialties in all regions of the Commonwealth. The association was founded in 1820 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. MSV strives to advance high-quality health care and make Virginia the best place to receive care and practice medicine.
