Explore the latest research, news, and developments in the world of wellness in this installment of the Well-Being Weekly. Get caught up on this week's biggest stories surrounding mental health and well-being in the healthcare industry, provided by Well-Being Index experts Patrick McNally and Sunny Prabhakar.
United Nations: COVID-19 and the need for action on mental health
The United Nations has released a policy brief regarding the mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the dangerous lack of response thus far. "Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken." To minimize the long-term consequences of distress caused by the pandemic, the United Nations details three recommended actions:
- Apply a whole-of-society approach to promote, protect, and care for mental health
- Ensure widespread availability of emergency mental health and psychosocial support
- Support recovery from COVID-19 by building mental health services for the future
In the healthcare industry, the functionalities of the Well-Being Index are being used by leading institutions to provide such support. While hundreds of healthcare organizations are investing in the mental health interventions recommended by the United Nations, more must be done to protect the well-being of our heroic medical professionals. Learn more about the suggested policies and actions in the United Nations report, and visit mywellbeingindex.org to see how the Well-Being Index equips healthcare organizations with the tools and data needed to promote the health of clinicians.
The rise of the Chief Wellness Officer
A recent article published in Forbes highlights the surge of organizations creating a C-Suite position focused on promoting staff well-being, both in the healthcare and corporate setting.
"Many health systems across the country are already establishing a new executive position, what they call a Chief Wellness Officer, as a strategy to address the burnout epidemic among physicians and other clinicians." Read the article to learn more about the impact a Chief Wellness Officer can have on the health and well-being of your workforce.
What institutions are doing to improve well-being
Along with implementing a C-Suite position focused on the well-being of employees, organizations successfully combating burnout are also enacting strategic, evidence-based initiatives to reduce the causes of distress. In the comprehensive report outlining the 6 dimensions of distress and well-being published by the Well-Being Index, a number of creative strategies partner organizations have implemented were discussed.
From initiatives encouraging relationship building between providers and patients to experimental medical student housing systems based on the houses in the Harry Potter book series, organizations are studying solutions designed to connect clinicians with to their work and promote well-being. Learn more in the report.
Well-Being Weekly
Make sure to look for next week's Well-Being Weekly update to stay on top of everything happening in the world of wellness. Follow the Well-Being Index on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for even more content and resources surrounding clinician well-being and mental health!
The Well-Being Index team is made up of thought leaders, healthcare associates, technology experts, and content creators dedicated to improving well-being by equipping organizations with the tools and data needed to Go Beyond Burnout.
