How collaboration can be your secret weapon to improving well-being

How leaders can work together to combat issues like burnout and administrative burden

September 27, 2024

Your network is your net worth — and the healthcare community is no exception to the rule. 

More attention is being brought to healthcare workers’ overall well-being, and company leaders are scrambling to identify effective ways to improve employee experience  — and improve it fast. 

But it’s hard to escape the rat race. Medical organizations that are only dependent on fixed, in-house resources run the risk of delayed change and more errors before things get better.  

This is why researchers recommend collaboration between hospital leaders. 

The COVID-19 pandemic forced healthcare institutions to work together to combat the virus, but the value of collaboration shouldn’t be limited to crises, Harvard Business Review reported. 

Elisa Arespachonga, AHA’s Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Workforce, reinforced this approach and shared with us the rewarding aspects of experience-sharing. 

“There are over 5,000 hospitals in this country that are doing neat, innovative things to support their workforce,” she said. “To be able to share examples and potentially create some guidance for organizations has been my favorite part of the job.” 

One way for healthcare leaders to network and expand their resources is to attend a conference. Here are some upcoming events: 

  • The Fourth National Summit on Promoting Well-being and Resilience in Healthcare Professionals, October 2024 

  • Institute of Healthcare Improvement Forum, December 2024

  • The Healthcare Innovation Congress, May 2025

  • National Health Council Health Leadership Conference, February 2025

By sharing information with one another and creating more avenues to work together, healthcare organizations can improve the quality of care and employee experience simultaneously. It ups the chances for leaders like Elisa to learn more through listening, relay it to their peers, and put it to motion in their teams. 

Hero Spotlight

This month’s Heroes of Healthcare podcast touched on how you can turn grief into advocacy. Andrea Wilson Woods, Founder and President of Blue Faery, joined us and reflected on her experiences with childhood trauma, addiction, and loss over her sister Adrienne’s 147-day battle with liver cancer. In honor of Adrienne, Andrea created Blue Faery, which aims to help prevent, treat, and cure liver cancer. She dedicated her career to healthcare and spoke about how caregivers can advocate for themselves within the healthcare system. 

Wellness in your facility 

Let’s say you’ve identified signs of employee burnout in your facility, but you’re not sure how to go about fixing the issue. 

The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a 6-step guide for hospital leaders who want to improve professional well-being. Here’s a quick rundown of the six actions you can take: 

  1. Conduct a review of your hospital’s operations 

  2. Build a team dedicated to supporting well-being 

  3. Break down the barriers to seeking help 

  4. Communicate your plan to employees 

  5. Measure and integrate well-being metrics to existing performance projects 

  6. Create a 12-month plan on how to move this initiative forward

Earlier this month, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation was also recognized as one of FIERCE Pharma’s Social Impact Honorees in the health and well-being landscape in 2024. You can view the full list of honorees here. 

Building the best environment for healthcare professionals' well-being may not be easy — but progress is being made everyday. Tune in to Heroes of Healthcare, our bimonthly podcast, for insightful conversations about how to drive the industry forward and help healthcare employees find their best, most balanced lifestyle.