Ease of Work and Practice Efficiency
Burnout among physicians, advanced practice providers, registered nurses and other clinicians is an occupational syndrome driven by the realities of our work environment. According to data collected by the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, over one-half of clinicians experience symptoms of burnout during their careers. In order to tackle burnout, we must recognize it is not primarily a personal resiliency issue, but instead woven into the conditions of work. Personal resilience and attention to one’s individual health are critically important to overcoming burnout, but this is only part of the well-being equation.
About Workplace Efficiency and Well-Being
In order to address the factors that contribute to burnout for our own clinicians, the Johns Hopkins Office of Well-Being is collaborating with partners across Johns Hopkins Medicine to look at systems, processes, and practices that promote the well-being of our clinical faculty and staff. And we are working to mitigate the things that get in the way of professional fulfillment and work life balance.
In addition to our work within Johns Hopkins Medicine, we have joined the Healthcare Professional Well-being Academic Consortium (PWAC), which enables us to collaborate, share interventions and benchmark data with peer institutions across the country. We are also part of the Leadership & Working Group for the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience.
Highlighted Projects
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The Office of Care Transformation directs performance improvement projects designed to increase the effectiveness, efficiency, consistency, and affordability of health care delivery. Providers Aligned in Care Transformation (PACT) initiative is one example in which multidisciplinary clinical teams come together to design and implement solutions to make our work easier using evidence-based guidelines fully integrated in the EHR.
Learn more (JHED required)
Read an interview with the Care Transformation Team
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The Strategic Learning Center (SLC) operated by the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians evaluates and coordinates innovative learning to support clinicians across Johns Hopkins. Learn about the Great 8 In-box management trainings, Epic Sprints, and other strategies.
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Prior Authorizations for prescription medications are an administrative burden for clinicians and team members. Data from the American Medical Association show the practice leads to care delays and treatment abandonment.
In order to address this problem for our own primary care teams, the Office of Well-Being partnered with the Johns Hopkins pharmacy and medicine departments to train dedicated medication access staff and create new workflows. This reduced overall work effort for our clinicians and redirected time to do more meaningful work.
Listen to a Vital Conversations podcast to learn more about this reform effort.
Learn about more about prior authorizations from the American Medical Association.
Initial funding for the project was provided by All In Well-Being First for Healthcare.
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Because the best ideas come from those closest to the work, the Johns Hopkins Medicine Office of Well-Being offered a small grant/practice innovation program to address workplace efficiency challenges and help our teams decrease the burdens that get in the way of joy in health care. This program supported clinician-driven, organization-directed interventions that support efficiency of practice. Contact us to learn about projects we have funded.
Efficiency of Practice Resources
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The American Medical Association’s Steps Forward program contains tools to address the organizational and individual factors affecting health worker well-being. Includes strategies to engage health system leadership, helpful ways to understand and address health worker burnout, as well as plans for developing a culture that supports well-being.
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The Institute for Healthcare Improvement partners with worldwide experts to offer online courses and coaching to combat the epidemic of health worker burnout. Access courses in quality improvement methods to create positive work environments that stimulate collaboration among health professionals.
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The National Academy of Medicine Clinician Well-Being Collaborative offers tools to help organizations prioritize and advance healthcare worker well-being. Learn more.
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The Johns Hopkins Medicine Vital Conversations podcast explores the many factors that affect workplace well-being in health care. We take on complex topics through engaging conversations with thought leaders, bringing a range of perspectives and approaches to making work better. Whether you are a health care executive, front-line manager, clinician, researcher or a patient, we invite you to be part of this well-being journey.