Introduction
Tennessee Hospital Association has supported a culture of patient safety within organizations for over a decade with hospitals working collaboratively to share strategies to ensure patients receive optimal care and reduce the risks of preventable complications. A core component of creating a culture of safety for patients is supporting the frontline healthcare team and addressing their well-being and safety. The COVID pandemic shined a spotlight on the dedicated professionals working in hospitals and their commitment to patient care. It has also renewed the focus on caring for our caregivers to ensure they have the resources and support needed in times of crisis and every day.
Worker Well-Being Strategies at Vanderbilt Health and CHI Memorial Hospital
Tennessee Hospital Association is gathering best practices and researching innovative methods hospitals are using to take care of their employees, to share among Tennessee facilities and showcase Tennessee hospitals’ outstanding work. The Tennessee Center for Patient Safety at THA interviewed Mary Yarbrough, MD, MPH, Executive Director for Health and Wellness at Vanderbilt Health and Chyela Rowe, MA, RDT, Coordinator – Arts Therapies & Well-Being Program at CHI Memorial Hospital to learn more about their successful worker well-being strategies.
Resources
ASPE COVID-19 Workforce Report
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Hospital and Outpatient Clinician Workforce
Challenges and policy responses
HHS Health Workforce Strategic Plan
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2021
ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare is a call to action by #FirstRespondersFirst and The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation as a coalition of leading healthcare organizations committed to taking responsibility for workforce well-being. The goal is to promote a cultural transformation toward systemic accountability.
Topics from the site’s resource library include:
- Partner with clinicians to identify and remove low-value work through a rapid improvement process
- Get frontline teams the help they need
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Ensure adequate mental healthcare by implementing the foundational THREE
Tools and resources for hospital leaders to guide the development and implementation of physician well-being programs, updated to include COVID related information.
View the playbook.
Brief exercises for practical insights and effective strategies for coping, staying centered, building resilience, and leading with integrity amidst challenging circumstances.
View the resource here.
This publication addresses concerns received from health care workers and provides learnings and examples that may be helpful as health care organizations continue to respond to the current pandemic and prepare for future challenges that will require safe, healthy, and engaged health care workers.
The Massachusetts Hospital Association convened a stakeholder committee across the broader healthcare continuum to address workforce challenges in their state. The report provides recommendations and best practices to address workforce needs in the areas of safety, engagement, well-being, and workforce development.