Burnout is not a foregone conclusion. While individual efforts play a pivotal role, continually battling systemic challenges can be exhausting. In this episode, we delve into a simple and cost-effective systemic intervention that not only mitigates burnout but also enhances job satisfaction. We then discuss how you can recognize when your colleagues might be in distress, what to do about it, what to say, what not to say, and how to break through the stigma of seeking help.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Tricia James is an internist and the Director of Wellness at Providence Portland Medical Center. A champion of local and regional clinician wellness, she is the first author of the groundbreaking HOSP-CPR study

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We Discuss

A study of two hospitalist groups. One struggled. One thrived.
The intervention group’s mandate was threefold: Listen, identify the pain points, find agency
The Role of regular debriefing, sharing experiences, and addressing uncertainty
Engagement levels were high
The Intervention Group continued meeting after the study, and it helped. A lot
It’s not just talking about medicine and logistics. There’s a sense of cohesion and mutual support:
Outcome of the Non-Intervention Group
Challenges in wellness funding
The value of funding and compensation for wellness initiatives
Approach to securing grants
Data and stories are great for persuasion. But it's empathy and curiosity that will win the day.
Most start by approaching administration for grants
The first step when creating an in-house clinician-run program to build agency and thwart hopelessness
Staffing is a significant stress for many and can seem insurmountable. What can you as an individual do about it?
Emotional suppression in healthcare professionals
Our tendency to conceal weakness
How to identify when one of your colleagues is in distress
Approaching a distressed colleague
What to do if you ask a distressed colleague how they're doing and they repeatedly say, "I'm fine," but it's clear they are not
It's not our job to fix our colleagues that we're worried about. But we can step in and offer an invitation.
The hardest part about reaching out to offer support is trying not to fix it
Importance of asking hard questions
The internal and external barriers to seeking help when we're struggling | Tricia paid for counseling out of pocket, so no one would know about it
Dr. James’ vision for medicine

112. Pizza doesn’t work | An evidence-based intervention that reduced physician burnout and increased job satisfaction

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