Strategies for Addressing Burnout: Insights from ASHP Midyear 2024
By Kate Baggaley
At the ASHP Midyear 2024 Clinical Meeting & Exhibition in New Orleans, several campaigns aimed at tackling burnout among healthcare workers were highlighted. Key speakers emphasized that resilience should not fall solely on individual pharmacists, rather, systemic changes are necessary to improve overall well-being.
Dr. L. Casey Chosewood, sharing his insights with attendees, said, ‘You are not the problem when it comes to healthcare system burnout; it isn’t your weakness… The system is what’s challenging.’ He pointed out that efforts such as ‘Pizza party at lunch’ are simply not enough to address deeper systemic issues.
The challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—like staffing shortages and fatigue—are, unfortunately, not new to healthcare workers. According to Dr. Chosewood, stressors such as long hours, exposure to human suffering, and high demands have existed long before the pandemic. ‘Long before COVID, my guess is you all felt the stress of too few resources,’ he stated.
Impact Wellbeing Campaign
The Impact Wellbeing Campaign, initiated by NIOSH and supported by the American Rescue Plan of 2021, aims to give hospital leaders tools to implement evidence-based policies that curb burnout and encourage mental health support. Dr. Stefanie Simmons, CMO at the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, detailed six steps for organizations to take:
- Assess current well-being levels: Understand what has already been implemented at your organization.
- Form a multidisciplinary well-being committee: Include all healthcare team members in the process.
- Eliminate access barriers to mental health care: Consider the unique schedules of healthcare workers.
- Engage in two-way communication: Make sure leaders and staff share perspectives on necessary changes.
- Utilize existing quality improvement infrastructure: Leverage current frameworks to develop well-being initiatives.
- Develop a long-term plan: Incorporate peer support and continuous improvement.
Dr. Chosewood remarked, ‘You definitely need…strong senior leadership support—ideally, someone whose bonus and reward system is tied to improvement in measures of the well-being of the workforce.’ He also cautioned against reverting to individual interventions, stating they are ‘just not powerful enough.’
ASHP Well-Being Ambassador Program
The three-year ASHP Well-Being Ambassador Program is set to end on December 31. It has seen over 4,500 pharmacy professionals participating, with more than 30% completing the program. Lillian Agyei, manager of the program, noted that many participants felt empowered to express their feelings and experiences regarding burnout.
Another notable aspect is that the WRU’s program will also offer resources that focus on mental wellness and life post-rugby, aiming to improve the quality of life for retired players.
Finally, Anna Legreid Dopp, senior director of government relations at ASHP, emphasized the importance of reauthorizing the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, which supports mental health initiatives across healthcare settings.
No financial disclosures were reported by the sources.
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