Healthcare Provider Wellness

TAKING SMALL STEPS TO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE
By Jillian Murdoch

This article aims to highlight the importance of physician wellness, unique wellness related endeavours that are occurring on the east coast of Canada, and resources that are available for all physicians – regardless of where they practice.

Healthcare provider wellness has become an increasingly popular topic of discussion within the past couple of decades. While medicine can be rewarding career path, it can also be very demanding and a source of stress in the lives of healthcare providers. With the additional stress that the pandemic has put on society throughout the past year and a half, it is increasingly important for HCPs to consider their own wellbeing in addition to that of the patients they care for.

Promoting healthcare provider wellness is not only of benefit to themselves, but also to their patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Health care providers clearly play a central role in the health of communities. The quality of care that they are able to provide for their patients is greatly influenced by the quality of wellbeing they are able to practice for themselves. A lack of support for healthcare provider wellness impacts not only patient care, but may also have a great cost to the healthcare system in general. Burnout can increase the incidence of turnover, leading to financial cost to our healthcare system, shortages of healthcare workers, and the accessibility of care for our communities. All to say the radius of impact that promoting healthcare provider wellness can make is vast.

Wellness has various facets to consider, and caring for one’s own wellness may take many different shapes, depending on the person. There are many wellness frameworks that can be helpful in understanding how to promote wellness based on various areas of our existence. For instance, one may aim to manage their overall wellbeing by paying attention to their physical wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, occupational wellbeing, social wellbeing, and intellectual wellbeing¹. In the nature of the profession, the practice of medicine is likely to stimulate some areas of wellness amongst physicians more than others – perhaps one’s intellectual wellbeing, for example. In turn, focusing one’s efforts on the areas of their wellness that are not getting enough care may be the most effective approach for them. Concepts of wellness may seem so simple, and are easy to overlook. However, it is evident that small wellness practices and efforts can make a big difference in one’s overall wellbeing.

Throughout the pandemic, various ventures related to health care provider wellness have developed across the country. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, physicians at the Physician Staff Organization at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital (DECH) have made efforts to improve their physician lounge to boost morale amongst their physician staff at the hospital during the pandemic. By redecorating the space, the Physician Staff Organization was hoping to create a space that has more appeal for physicians to gather and connect during their down time throughout the day. As part of their project, they updated some of the furniture, the paint color and they added some shelving and with books related to wellness. One unique addition to the lounge were a couple of bowls designated to be filled by small treats. They ask that as community, the physician staff keep these bowls full. Now, the treat bowls are a special part of the space because it allows for an easy way for the physicians to contribute something for colleagues. By taking these initial steps to develop a new space with resources supporting physician wellness, they are building capacity for the staff to develop a more wellness centered culture at the DECH. The small steps they have taken to improve the wellness culture at their workplace is slowly improving the outlook for wellness amongst their physician staff, for both new doctors and more senior physicians. 

This example of the healthcare community coming together to work to change the culture in their workplace is evidence that small steps can make a big difference. Parallel to the work of this community of healthcare providers, small steps to work towards individual wellbeing can make a big difference. Below are some wellness resources for physicians. The CMA has developed easily accessible resources for physicians to access more information and support regarding physician wellness. Depending on the relevancy of physician wellness in their lives, there are different resources catered to different capacities; for immediate support, peer support, personal support, and general information. Further, this infographic shared previously on our platform is a great tool for easily absorbed information. Lastly, the CMPA has lots of resources on their site.



WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR PHYSICIANS

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) have developed easily accessible resources for physicians to access more information and support regarding physician wellness. Depending on the relevancy of physician wellness in their lives, there are different resources catered to different capacities; for immediate support, peer support, personal support, and general information.

This infographic from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction is a great tool for easily absorbed information.

Pandemic Wellness Toolkit (Canadian Medical Association)

Resident Doctors of Canada

REFERENCES

1. Lauren J. Roscoe (2009)(Wellness: A Review of Theory and Measurement for Counselors by Lauren J. Roscoe)
2. The author would like acknowledge the information sourced from the CanMEDs Physician Health Guide

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