What are other sites doing? Physician health & wellness

• TARGETED DEPARTMENT-LEVEL WELLNESS SOLUTIONS - Vancouver Physician Staff Association: Commitment from both medical staff and health authority leadership to wellness through identification of targeted department-level identification of drivers of burnout, with further encouragement and support of manageable improvements within each department.
   
• ENGAGING HEALTH AUTHORITY IN DISCUSSIONS - Providence Health Care Physicians And Surgeons Association: "Pebbles in our Shoe on the Road to Wellness" event – a discussion between medical staff and health authority leaders about trust, transparency and relationships that support wellness.
   
• A FORMALIZED ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR HEALTH CARE OPERATIONS CHALLENGES - Burnaby Hospital: medical staff have developed a process to engage and align with local and regional administration leads to address health care operations challenges that affect providers and patient care.
   
• AN INPATIENT CONGESTION AND FLOW PROJECT - East Kootenay Regional Hospital (EKRH): aims to create realistic recommendations to reduce inpatient congestion (over capacity).
   
• PLANNING AMONG RADIATION ONCOLOGISTS TO ADDRESS ANXIETY CAUSING ISSUES - BC Cancer Agency: manpower planning, capital planning, equipment and operational capacity.
   
• INTERNAL MEDICINE SPECIALISTS AND FAMILY DOCTORS COLLABORATiON - University Hospital of Northern BC Prince George:   Collaboration to improve communication, expectations between family physicians and internists, while increasing inpatient coverage.
   
• ASESSMENT OF CURRENT OBSTETRIC INTERNAL MEDICINE SERVICE DEMANDS - Children’s and Women’s Hospital:  Future planning to avoid burnout from escalating referral volumes.  
   
• SHARED MATERNITY CLINIC - Creston Valley Hospital: More coordinated, integrated with Public Health, consistent between providers, with a call group that allows for more flexibility. Implementation of weekend ward rounds in the ER with family physicians and nurses streamline the chart review process and save time.
   
• EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE - Vancouver Physician Staff Association: Creation of the VCH Medical Staff Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative to improve equity and inclusion in medical leadership. 
   
• ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT - Providence Health Care: Alignment of medical staff physician advisory groups with the organization’s strategic priorities, one of which is focused on people, culture and wellness.

COMMON THEMES OF MSA ACTIVITIES THAT ARE IMPROVING THE WORKPLACE
 

• INTERDISCIPLINARY SIMULATION DRILLS:  Many simulation programs are serving to improve teamwork and communication, between physicians and health care professionals; increase confidence, role clarity and expectations to reduce stress in emergent situations. 
   
• SPACE / DEPARTMENT REDESIGN:  Increases efficiency of patient care delivery, creates a health work environment, decreases daily frustration. 
   
• IMPROVED EMERGENCY ROOM FLOW: physicians and teams at many sites are meeting to discuss and problem solve around flow and patient care and to ensure an effective working environment.
   
• MRP IDENTIFICATION AND CLARITY: Several sites working to clarify Most Responsible Provider (MRP) status to improve handovers, reduce confusion, decrease unnecessary documentation, such as between general practice, surgical care and internal medicine.
   
• ON CALL SCHEDULE IMPROVEMENTS: Many sites are updating schedules for emergency departments, internal medicine and other services to realistically meet current demand.
  
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