The American Heart Association and three other leading cardiovascular organizations issued a joint opinion paper in each of their flagship journals July 13, calling for global action to improve clinician well-being.
The American College of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology and the World Heart Federation also contributed to the paper, which addresses the drivers and ramifications of burnout, and strategies to improve the well-being of those in the cardiovascular workforce.
The paper recommends healthcare organizations implement the following strategies to prevent burnout:
- Support the psychosocial health of employees and be accountable for a holistic approach.
- Create an organizational infrastructure in which clinicians can thrive.
- Provide employees with a structure that allows for confidential reporting of mistreatment, as well as destigmatization of clinician access to mental health resources.
"As clinicians, we continuously strive for the improved health of our patients and at the same time recognize our own welfare is paramount to them receiving optimal care," said Laxmi Mehta, MD, chair of the report and cardiovascular medicine professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. "We will continue to work together and strategize to maintain the well-being of our workforce and keep the joy in cardiovascular medicine."
To view the opinion paper, click here.