When Amy A. Jibilian, MD, a pediatrician, took on the role of chief wellness officer (CWO) at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) in July 2023, there was already a solid foundation in place to address the epidemic of burnout and promote physician and nonphysician provider well-being.
This work began under the leadership of previous chief wellness officers along with the Well-Being Council and Wellness Committee. As she began her new journey as CWO, she quickly realized physician burnout was an extremely complicated and multi-faceted dilemma.
“We collected a significant amount of data over the past several years, and our Wellness Committee was exploring how to understand the system-level drivers of burnout and how to catalyze transformation at LVHN,” Dr. Jibilian said. “After being introduced to the AMA Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program, it seemed this would be a great opportunity for us to learn from the AMA, engage our leaders and begin to tackle this dilemma with an organized and collaborative approach.”
Lehigh Valley Health Network—now part of Jefferson Health—is a member of the AMA Health System Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians, and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
The decision to participate in the AMA program was also motivated by a desire to have recognition both internally at Lehigh Valley Health Network and at a national level for the work that had been accomplished at the health system.
“Because this recognition comes from the AMA, it adds credibility to the importance of our Wellness Committee and Well-Being Council work and provides a strong framework for moving forward toward our goal of reducing burnout and promoting professional fulfillment,” Dr. Jibilian said. “This is what many other health systems across the country are doing, so we jumped at the opportunity.”
“The Joy in Medicine Program was perfect for me as LVHN’s new CWO,” she said. “The road map provided a clear, methodical approach to evaluate the impact of physician burnout and begin to develop and implement new programs and policies to support physician and nonphysician provider well-being.”
“I also believe the AMA Joy in Medicine recognition will help us attract talented physicians who are looking for a health system that values physician well-being,” Dr. Jibilian said.
As Dr. Jibilian began the work with her team of meeting the criteria for each of the six competencies, presenting the data from the AMA’s organizational cost of burnout calculator was powerful.
“When I presented this data to executive and senior leaders, the data brought a new spin to the conversation about physician burnout,” she said. “In one meeting, as I shared the potential cost of physician attrition due to burnout, and that the approximate cost to replace one physician is $800,000, leaders lifted their heads, raised their eyebrows and became more engaged in the dialogue. I have used this information in many conversations since.”
As the leader in physician well-being, the AMA is reducing physician burnout by removing administrative burdens and providing real-world solutions to help doctors rediscover the Joy in Medicine™.
Subscribe to free AMA email newsletters
Get the latest news from the AMA on the topics that matter to you—delivered to your inbox.
Receiving recognition
“When I looked at the road map and criteria, I thought we could meet the requirements for bronze level recognition with moderate effort since much of the work had already been done,” Dr. Jibilian said. “But I also wondered if it was possible because I was brand new in my position as CWO.
“So I took advantage of the drop-in sessions the AMA provided to coach us and guide our work,” she added. “I solicited help from members of the Wellness Committee, informatics colleagues, our Epic optimization team and other leaders across the health network, and with this collaboration we were able to attest to all the eligibility criteria. It was a team effort.”
Receiving recognition from the AMA “is going to be inspirational,” Dr. Jibilian said. “I hope our wellness committee members are encouraged and energized by this recognition to continue in their efforts to mitigate burnout.”
“I also believe that this will demonstrate to our physicians, nonphysician providers and leaders that there is a committed group of colleagues working on their behalf to reduce occupational stress and restore joy to the practice of medicine,” she added.
Finding her way as CWO
“I had been a primary care pediatrician for decades when I was presented the opportunity to become CWO at LVHN. During my career, I personally witnessed and experienced the impact of occupational distress on my friends, colleagues and in my own life,” Dr. Jibilian said. “I knew when I accepted the position, it would be meaningful to join a team working to alleviate this distress, and while I was passionate about the role, I knew there was a significant learning curve ahead of me.”
“Early on I turned to the AMA STEPS Forward® toolkits for guidance,” she added, noting that the Chief Wellness Officer Road Map and Establishing a Chief Wellness Officer Position toolkits were very helpful.
“As I was digesting all this information, I was surprised to find out how easy it was to reach out to the AMA for support,” Dr. Jibilian noted. “I have been incredibly impressed with everyone I have been in contact with. The personal connections have been so important to me, and the support has been invaluable.”
Listening to physicians for feedback
“We launched a listening campaign this year to meet the criteria for leadership competency,” Dr. Jibilian said, noting that “we have had three departments engage their physicians and nonphysician providers in listening sessions.”
The first department to promote listening sessions was pediatrics but has since grown to include emergency medicine and orthopaedic surgery.
“It has been exciting to see leaders in these areas receive feedback from physicians and work on action steps to address the department-specific drivers of burnout,” she said. “We are hoping to implement listening sessions across every department and health institute, focusing first on the groups that are experiencing the highest rate of burnout.”
“It takes a significant amount of time and energy to implement these listening sessions, but guidance from the AMA toolkit has been very helpful,” Dr. Jibilian added.
Moving forward
When Dr. Jibilian recently met with the AMA, she was asked about what some of her goals were for the next year.
Dr. Jibilian said, “Go for silver, of course!”
“Every day is a gift, and while I am in a position to make a difference for my colleagues, I am going to make the most of the time I have,” she said. “I am so blessed to have this opportunity at this stage of my career to serve my fellow physicians.
“I hope to be instrumental in restoring the passion and excitement we experience when we use our unique talents, gifts and skills to heal, comfort and care for our patients,” Dr. Jibilian added. “It is time to heal the hearts of our healers, and have physicians rediscover joy, meaning and purpose in their lives as they follow their calling to care for their fellow human beings in this most noble and honorable profession.”
