Pressure, long hours and emotional exhaustion are challenges that many physicians face in today’s workforce. Expected to provide unwavering care to others, physicians often struggle with burnout in silence. That is why at Marshfield Clinic Health System, a group of dedicated professionals are working together to ensure that doctors no longer have to face these burdens alone.
Aligning with the support pillar of the AMA’s Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program, Marshfield Clinic Health System has created a peer-support network through their Physician and Allied Professionals Health Committee, which offers a confidential, understanding space for physicians to connect, share struggles and find solutions together.
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.
The Physician and Allied Professionals Health Committee at Marshfield Clinic Health System is comprised of five physicians who meet monthly to go over well-being work. They are:
- Alpa Shah, MD, a psychiatrist.
- Anna S. Seydel, MD, a breast surgeon.
- Suzanne Wright, MD, a pediatrician.
- Eric Callaghan, MD, a diagnostic radiologist.
- Daniel Jurczyk, MD, a psychiatrist.
Marshfield Clinic Health System 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.
From one-one-one mentorship to systemic advocacy, these efforts are reshaping how physician well-being is prioritized at Marshfield Clinic Health System. While challenges remain, their work shows that a culture of support can make all the difference in reducing physician burnout and improving well-being.
The power of peer support
One of the committee’s most impactful initiatives is its confidential peer-to-peer support network. Physicians who have been involved in episodes of care with adverse medical outcomes, workplace conflicts or professional challenges can access one-on-one support from colleagues. This service has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many expressing gratitude for having a safe space to share their concerns.
“The most rewarding part of the job from my perspective is the peer-to-peer support,” said Dr. Callaghan.
“People—after they get done talking to us—will say, ‘I wish I would have come and seen you sooner, because I just didn’t know,’ he said.
“Our peers appreciate the support,” said Dr. Wright.
Dr. Callaghan said the aim is to give physicians “some assurance that they're not making this up in their head.”
Dr. Seydel said the peer-support effort “really does speak to the value of having a safe space to vent, to air your feelings with colleagues.”
She added that “the immediate impact of the physicians who have come to meet with us and talk with us … we all leave that discussion with a sense of: OK, what we're doing is important and making a difference.”
“People appreciate the supportive nature of what we're doing,” Dr. Wright added. “Sometimes, we are able to effect change, and we support a physician” to help them continue their physician career with Marshfield.
“We go the extra mile,” Dr. Wright said.
“The physicians who we are able to interact with who are struggling individually may have had a bad outcome … those are the places where our group is very effective,” Dr. Shah said, noting that each member of the committee has contacted individual physicians, “so that peer support has been valuable.”
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Providing mentorship and coaching
Beyond peer support for physicians is “a program for newer faculty and physicians. It’s a mentoring program through the division of education,” said Dr. Jurczyk. “You’re paired with a mentor who you meet with on a frequent basis.”
This two-year mentorship initiative pairs early-career doctors with experienced mentors to guide them through clinical and administrative processes.
The mentors “can help you get into practice and figure out the ins and outs that you might not want to ask others about such, as how to code or what a bill is because they don’t teach you that,” he said, noting that “this program that is established is for everyone who starts at the organization.”
Physicians also have access to coaching to improve efficiency and patient-experience ratings, though these resources remain limited.
Creating a culture of support
While first established in response to a Joint Commission requirement regarding physician health and impairment, the Physician and Allied Professionals Health Committee at Marshfield Clinic Health System has evolved to become a valuable resource for doctors, Dr. Shah said.
“Over the past 10 years, we have worked to change the image of the committee, of the group and what we do to separate it from administration to say that anything disciplinary does not reside here,” she explained, noting when “there’s concern about health and well-being, then our group gets involved and that has helped changed the narrative around this committee and what the committee does.”
“Changing the culture … has been word of mouth, case by case as people hear about it or people experience it, then it spreads,” Dr. Shah said. “The other thing is that there’s been inclusion of this work in monthly leadership meetings, so there’s some more awareness about the nature of the work, what we do and what we’re available for and also helping other leaders in the organization understand the role of this committee.”
“We’re very careful to say that this is definitely confidential,” Dr. Wright said. “We don’t keep notes; we don’t share notes with other people.”
“What we've received from individuals for feedback is that as an organization we’re supportive. Our group really helps pull all the different pieces together,” said Dr. Shah. While Wisconsin lacks a state physician health program, “we function sort of as a form of a health program by providing some of these components.
“And the physicians who have experienced that have really found that to be valuable,” she added, noting that “there have been many careers saved as a result of that particular emphasis and the way we approach it.”
When it comes to support, “make it one of your primary pillars or aims and get buy-in from the top,” said Dr. Wright. “And then, even starting small with a small physician health committee is a good idea because we add a lot of value to the organization even though we are small."
AMA STEPS Forward® open-access toolkits offer innovative strategies that allow physicians and their staff to thrive in the new health care environment. These resources can help you prevent burnout, create the organizational foundation for joy in medicine, improve practice efficiency and establish a peer-support program.
