WellSpan Health has once again been recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine™ organization for its efforts to promote the wellbeing of its team members through targeted initiatives and programs that reduce burnout and stressors in the workplace. The AMA distinction is granted only to organizations that attest to the rigorous criteria of the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program to address these issues. The health system is one of only three health systems in Pennsylvania to receive the highest level of recognition from the organization, the gold level.

“At WellSpan we’re building a culture where every team member can thrive, for their own sake and because we know that doing so will translate to the highest quality of care for our patients,” said Dr. Anthony Aquilina, executive vice president and chief physician executive, WellSpan Health. “We’re grateful for the work and vision of our program administrator for wellbeing Dr. Michael Diller and our medical director of wellbeing Dr. Ridgley Salter and their teams, who contributed to WellSpan’s elevation to the top tier of healthcare employers across the country in promoting team member wellness.”

WellSpan has taken action to address burnout rates among U.S. physicians, which peaked at nearly 63% during the COVID-19 pandemic according to research from the AMA. Despite a significant drop, physician burnout levels remain much higher than other U.S. workers. A team within WellSpan is dedicated to advancing wellbeing resources and initiatives that address burnout:

• WellSpan is helping to reduce its providers’ paperwork administrative burden with Nuance’s Dragon Ambient eXperience Copilot, a tool that utilizes ambient listening to help craft AI-generated notes in a patient’s electronic health records, so they can spend more time listening to the patient and less time writing notes.
• WellBeing First Champion recognized WellSpan earlier this year for its efforts to remove intrusive and stigmatizing language from all licensure and credentialing applications, ensuring team members can seek mental health care without fear of losing their license or job.
• WellSpan provides its team members the myStrength health app, to provide access to personalized care for mental, emotional and overall wellbeing.
• WellSpan team members are also encouraged to utilize the WellSpan Employee Assistance Program, which offers access to licensed professionals to support team members and their families within their varied needs.

“Fostering a culture of wellbeing for our physicians and providers starts with supporting good mental health, along with creating a sense of community and belonging and empowering them with tools they need to thrive,” said Dr. David Vega, senior vice president and chief medical officer, WellSpan Health. “At WellSpan, wellbeing is not just a buzzword. We’re creating a culture of wellbeing that has an impact on our team members so they can flourish.”

Since its inception in 2019, the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 200 organizations across the country that reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrate competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork, and support. The recognition levels are valid for two years. This year, a total of 109 health organizations earned the recognition.

Learn more about the AMA Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program at www.ama-assn.org/joyinmedicine.

To learn more about career opportunities at WellSpan’s welcoming workplace, visit www.joinWellSpan.org.