Joy in Medicine™: criteria

The Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program centers on criteria across six pillars that contribute to well-being: Assessment, Commitment, Efficiency of Practice Environment, Teamwork, Leadership and Support.

Assessment

Measuring physician well-being and burnout is critical to understanding and addressing system issues. By measuring the operational effectiveness of your organization and the well-being of your physicians, you can readily identify and target meaningful interventions. It is important that validated measurement tools are used that provide insight into the system drivers of burnout so that organizations can effectively implement system-level solutions.

Commitment

A cross-cutting organizational commitment to workforce well-being is essential to preventing burnout within an organization. Commitment from an organization may include different strategies over time such as the establishment of a wellness committee or office on well-being, appointing a chief wellness officer and developing well-being as part of an organization’s strategic plan. Gaining institutional buy-in and establishing a plan of action is one of the first key steps in the Joy in Medicine Roadmap.

Efficiency of Practice Environment

Operational efficiency is key to supporting well-being. Workflow and technology inefficiencies—in addition to documentation requirements—play a central role in driving burnout among physicians. The AMA has outlined several standard metrics that organizations can use to understand the time physicians spend on the EHR, inbox, documentation and work outside of normal scheduled hours.

These metrics will support targeted interventions aimed at improving the underlying work environment so that physicians can spend more time doing meaningful work with patients.

Teamwork

Effective teamwork can have a tremendous impact on the overall well-being of physicians and care teams. Effective teamwork has been linked to less stress, higher job satisfaction and improvements in patient care. Teamwork and team-based care must be purposefully cultivated and consider more than just whether team members “get along.”

Rather, cultivating effective teamwork and team-based care must consider a wide range of factors such as team structures, role functions and workflows that enhance the ability for teams to work together more seamlessly.

Leadership

Leadership behaviors set the foundation of organizational culture, a primary indicator of organizational well-being. Leaders cultivate teams and directly support their growth, development and overall well-being. Immediate leaders are particularly important in driving professional satisfaction and fostering teamwork.

Measuring leader behaviors inside an organization is an important step to understand how leaders are perceived by the teams they lead and where improvements in leader behaviors can have the highest impact. Effective leadership is foundational to the health and well-being of an organization.

Support

Cultivating connections at work is an important means to driving professional satisfaction. These connections may be fostered through both formal and informal programs. These programs may include peer-to-peer discussions (buddy systems), small group dinners, formal peer support programs, or peer coaching programs. Peer support is a key component of building a culture of trust and collegiality.