Joy in Work: A Method to Improving Healthcare for Patients and Practitioners
Purpose: The purposes of this presentation are to: 1) Discuss the current state of healthcare practitioner burnout. 2) Describe the impact of burnout on healthcare outcomes, cost, and patient safety. 3) Explore the individual and organizational interventions to decrease burnout and improve engagement
Methods/Description: Burnout in healthcare practitioners, a work-related syndrome involving emotional exhaustion,
depersonalization, and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment, has received increased attention in recent
years. Burnout among healthcare workers has been described as a “public health crisis,” as emotionally exhausted
clinicians are unable to face the demands of the job, may develop a sense of detachment from work, and may begin to view patients as objects. Lau et al (2016) note “Burnout and moral distress are significant issues for physical
therapists and their managers worldwide.” Evidence suggests that burnout negatively impacts the effectiveness of
practitioners, the patient experience, and the cost of healthcare. Bodenheimer and Sinsky (2014) proposed that
healthcare practitioner well-being and self-care are essential prerequisites to accomplishing the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) triple aim for populations and have proposed the addition of a fourth aim related to practitioner well-being. Both individual and organizational interventions have been shown to produce large improvements in burnout. Individual interventions include strategies such as mindfulness, stress management, and resilience development, and organizational interventions include strategies such as changing work environment and processes. In 2017, the IHI published a white paper outlining a framework to improve Joy in Work for healthcare practitioners, a strategy they believe will positively impact practitioner engagement and satisfaction as well as improving patient experience, quality of care, patient safety, and organizational performance. The framework describes collaboration between individuals, managers, and senior leaders to engage in shared problem-solving around not just decreasing burnout, but also helping practitioners to find a sense of joy and meaning in their professions.
Results/Outcomes: This platform will serve to inform and persuade physical therapists at all levels to engage in discussion and shared problem solving around the issue of practitioner burnout. After this session, participants will be quipped with resources they can utilize themselves and share with colleagues and employers.
Conclusions/Relevance to the conference theme: Demands on time and resources of physical therapists and other healthcare practitioners is leading to increased burnout, decreased engagement and increased staff turnover. Decreased engagement and satisfaction of healthcare practitioners can negatively impact the patient experience, quality and cost of care. Through engaging in a collaborative process at various levels of the organization, creating increased meaningfulness and finding joy in work can have positive benefits for both practitioners and patients.