The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the ASA Charitable Foundation have launched a new well-being initiative, SafeHaven™, to provide confidential mental health and well-being resources to anesthesiologists at a time when reports of physician burnout are at an all-time high. The high-risk nature of practicing anesthesiology, particularly in emergency situations, is a significant source of stress. Although approximately 45% of physicians across all specialties report at least one symptom of burnout; anesthesiologists may experience even higher rates of burnout, as well as depression. Anesthesiology residents, fellows and early career physicians are at the greatest risk.
Created by the Medical Society of Virginia, SafeHaven offers physicians a confidential resource to discuss their well-being and career development. The program offers an extensive array of services—available to ASA members and their extended family members—including peer coaching and in-the-moment support.
“ASA couldn’t be more pleased to offer anesthesiologists and their families this much needed resource to help with burnout and other threats to maintaining work/life balance,” said ASA President Ronald L. Harter, M.D., FASA. “These issues negatively impact physician well-being and can lower both quality of care and patient satisfaction, while increasing health care costs. It is imperative to have resources to address these needs and minimize their effects.”
"We are thrilled to see the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) launch of the SafeHaven program. This is another step in the right direction of prioritizing physician well-being across the country,” shared VITAL WorkLife CEO, Mitchell Best. “At VITAL WorkLife, we are humbled to be a part of this movement and through supporting the ASA and its members, we’re living our passion of helping physicians become their best selves. This collaboration underscores our dedication to providing access to confidential and comprehensive mental health support to health care professionals, empowering them to overcome stress, burnout, and the barriers to seeking help.”
“Partnerships like these are invaluable as we try to address burnout and well-being in the medical profession,” said Melina Davis, CEO and executive vice president of the Medical Society of Virginia. “They prove that for one, there is a need, and for two, more and more professionals are understanding that it’s ok to admit they need help and take advantage of resources that enable them to care for themselves just as they care for their patients.”
About American Society of Anesthesiologists
Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with nearly 58,000 members organized to advance the medical practice of anesthesiology and secure its future. ASA is committed to ensuring anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of all patients before, during, and after surgery. ASA members also lead the care of critically ill patients in intensive care units, as well as treat pain in both acute and chronic settings.
For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about how anesthesiologists help ensure patient safety, visit asahq.org/madeforthismoment. Like ASA on Facebook and follow ASALifeline on X.
About SafeHaven
To support the needs of clinicians struggling with stress, burnout, and the effects of COVID-19, the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) and VITAL WorkLife are partnering to offer clinicians a comprehensive set of well-being resources they can use without risk to their medical license: SafeHaven. VITAL WorkLife is the leading mental health and well-being expert for health care organizations and their workforce, focusing on health care since 2007. VITAL WorkLife’s innovative solutions are leading the way in helping physicians, nurses and entire care teams address professional burnout, life challenges and barriers to seeking help.