Caring Greatly

Self-regulation: from individual skill to system-wide strategy | Jennifer Luer, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHQ

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Self-regulation is the ability to recognize and manage our emotional, mental and physical responses to stress so we can think clearly, make sound decisions, and engage effectively with others. In healthcare and other high-pressure environments, self-regulation helps individuals move beyond instinctive "fight, flight or freeze" reactions and respond with intention, empathy and professionalism.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Jennifer Luer, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHQ, System Director of Employee Safety and Wellbeing at SSM Health, explores the powerful role of self-regulation in healthcare leadership and workplace safety. Drawing on her journey from critical care nurse to system leader, Jennifer shares how personal experience, patient safety work, and a passion for supporting care team members shaped her approach to building a healthier, safer work environment at SSM.

Jennifer also discusses why employee wellbeing deserves dedicated focus, how self-regulation helps individuals stay grounded under pressure, and why creating a culture of safety requires both personal skills and system-level support. From workplace violence (WPV) prevention to leadership communication, self-regulation techniques allow individuals to regain balance during challenging moments, reduce burnout, improve communication, strengthen relationships, and maintain the capacity to provide safe, high-quality care and effective leadership.

Jennifer is a registered nurse and system leader specializing in healthcare safety and quality through evidence-based best practices and continuous improvement. Her work centers on advancing emotional, physical and psychological safety for care team members and patients alike. Pursing her passion and purpose as a nurse, she joined SSM Health in 2007. Jennifer also has than 11 years of experience in process improvement, event investigation and root cause analysis. In June 2021, she transitioned into her role as System Director of Employee Safety, following leadership of Regulatory, Infection Prevention, Risk, Quality and Patient Safety.

Jennifer has been instrumental in designing and implementing the Care for Caregivers program, including systemwide education on the second-victim phenomenon. She has also helped lead key initiatives such as the rollout of WPV prevention training, simplified single-icon WPV reporting, proactive EHR workflows for violence risk, and standardized tools that support a holistic approach to care team safety.

Dr. Jennifer Luer is a leader who cares greatly.

Finding safety in the body: Trauma resilience support for care team members – Marie Nutter, BSN, RN, CNOR

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0400

At some point in their training or careers, most clinicians will experience intense stress, suffering, loss and critical incidents that can have lasting impacts on their psychological and emotional safety. Despite the prevalence of traumatic stress in healthcare settings, most care team members are not taught about the effects it can have on their mind and bodies. As a result, they normalize traumatic stress symptoms such as exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, emotional disconnection, or the inability to be fully present.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Marie Nutter, BSN, RN, CNOR, a practicing perioperative nurse and trauma-sensitive yoga educator, explores how traumatic stress shows up in the lives and bodies of healthcare workers. Marie describes how traumatic stress gets internalized when stress, grief and loss go unprocessed over time. Drawing from both her professional experience as a nurse and her own journey through personal loss, Marie shares how care team members often learn to push through adversity, only to discover that unresolved stress eventually returns through exhaustion, disconnection and difficulty of concentrating or being fully present.

The conversation delves into the power of trauma-informed approaches to healing, including the role of body awareness, grounding practices and trauma-sensitive yoga. Marie explains how small, intentional moments of reconnecting with the body can help restore a sense of choice, presence and control. She also offers reflections on what healthcare organizations and leaders can do to better support their teams, emphasizing that trauma recovery is a shared responsibility that begins with recognizing that trauma is a natural adaptive response. Additionally, leaders can offer compassionate support and provide access to trauma-informed resources.

As a seasoned nurse at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, a trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, and founder of Mayday Yoga, LLC, Marie educates people about the effects of traumatic stress and loss and how they might mitigate day-to-day exposure in real-time. Through 15 years of navigating high demands of perioperative nursing, 10 years of personal yoga practice, and seven years of offering trauma-informed wellness services to the healthcare community, Marie has learned that people’s professional and human credibility are not defined by their ability to withstand difficult work-life events. In 2020, Marie was named an example of resiliency by Psychology Today Magazine, and she continues to offer individuals and work teams an opportunity to tap into their own inner wellness.

Marie Nutter is a leader who cares greatly.

The Emotional PPE Project: Improving care team members’ access to mental and emotional health resources – Daniel Saddawi-Konefka, MD, MBA

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:15:00 -0400

Healthcare professionals experience rates of burnout, depression, anxiety and other mental and emotional health challenges that often exceed those of the general population. Yet many clinicians never seek support due to stigma, concerns about confidentiality, logistical barriers, or fear of professional repercussions. As a result, many continue caring for others while silently struggling themselves.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Daniel Saddawi-Konefka founded the Emotional PPE Project to help address these challenges by connecting healthcare workers with mental health professionals willing to provide confidential, pro bono support. What began as an immediate response to an unprecedented crisis has grown into a broader effort to reduce barriers to care while advocating for lasting cultural and systemic change across healthcare.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Daniel joins Liz to discuss why he intentionally talks about both mental and emotional health, the three primary barriers that prevent healthcare professionals from seeking care, and why solving the problem requires more than resilience training. They also explore the role leaders play in shaping organizational culture, the importance of modeling vulnerability, and the policy, educational, and organizational changes needed to create healthcare environments where seeking support is viewed as a sign of strength rather than weakness.

Dr. Daniel Saddawi-Konefka is a physician, researcher, and founder of the Emotional PPE Project. He is a leader who cares greatly.

Getting rid of stupid stuff (GROSS) at scale – Jennifer Bissram, MS, MBA, and Emily Kertcher, PhD, OTR/L

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 18:41:42 -0400

“Getting Rid of Stupid Stuff,” or GROSS, is a healthcare improvement approach first introduced by Dr. Melinda Ashton at Hawaii Pacific Health in a 2018 New England Journal of Medicine article. Originally focused on empowering clinicians to identify and eliminate unnecessary EHR tasks to reduce administrative burden and improve joy in practice, GROSS has since gained momentum as a broader movement to improve care team safety and wellbeing.

At UNC Health, Jennifer Bissram, MSIS, MBA, and Emily Kertcher, PhD, OTR/L, are members of a team focused on ease of practice for clinicians. They took the idea of GROSS, which is often applied in a single unit or department, and scaled it across the organization. They also expanded it beyond the EHR and technical issues to allow clinicians to identify pebbles, rocks and boulders (small irritants to major obstacles) anywhere in their workflows or work environments that cause distraction, create inefficiencies or reduce clinical effectiveness.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Emily and Jennifer talk about the inspiration behind their team’s efforts to scale GROSS across the health system, as well asthe steps required to make the scaled-up program work. They also discuss why it’s necessary to focus on building trust and relationships to drive program success well beyond operational excellence.

Jennifer Bissram and Emily Kertcher are leaders who care greatly.

Physician-led workplace violence prevention and response – Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 15:10:47 -0400

When a workplace violence (WPV) event occurs in a healthcare setting, physicians can be good de-escalation partners for nurses and other care team members. In this episode of Caring Greatly, Jason Stopyra, MD, MS, Enterprise Vice President of Public Safety at Advocate Health, talks about how his experiences as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and an emergency physician shaped his perspective and led him to his current role. Dr. Stopyra shares what changes when a physician leads public safety and how it can shift the culture around WPV prevention and response. He also talks about how he centers WPV efforts around his love of people, his deep understanding of clinical perspectives and workflows, and various patient conditions and challenges.

As the Enterprise VP of Public Safety Dr. Stopyra oversees security operations across more than 70 acute care sites and 1,000 ambulatory locations, leading a team of more than 1,500 officers. He also directs the enterprise WPV mitigation strategy and is responsible for public safety training, investigations, physical security technology and Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM). Additionally, Dr. Stopyra is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Emergency Medicine and Implementation Science at Wake Forest School of Medicine. His combined clinical expertise and dedication to public safety helps advance the safety and wellbeing of care team members and the patients they serve.

Jason Stopyra is a leader who cares greatly.

Leading across the three pillars of care team safety – Deborah Visconi, MHA

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 19:35:10 -0400

Deborah Visconi, CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center was one of the first healthcare CEOs to sign the Heart of Safety Declaration of Principles, which expands the definition of care team safety to include psychological and emotional safety, dignity and inclusion, and physical safety. In this episode of Caring Greatly, podcast host Liz Boehm talks with Deb about what it means to lead across the three pillars of care team safety at the fourth largest publicly owned hospital in the United States. For Deb, it starts with human-centered leadership that creates a culture of transparency and trust.

For more than 30 years Deb has provided visionary leadership to hospitals and healthcare systems across the New York and New Jersey metropolitan region. In 2017, she joined Bergen New Bridge and has transformed the 933-bed acute and long-term care hospital into a community asset and destination medical center in New Jersey. Deb is a visionary leader with a passion for elevating patient and care team experiences, leading with a focus on compassion, consistency and quality. Her entrepreneurial style and strategic planning expertise has enabled her to navigate highly complex environments with creativity and poise to expand programs, improve services and enhance provider relations.

As a Latinx hospital leader, Deb understands the unique issues and needs of underserved communities, which she has prioritized in the hospital’s community health needs assessment process and its ongoing outreach efforts. This work led to the hospital’s development of the first LGBTQ Wellness Center in Northern New Jersey. And in 2018, to increase care access to the 20,000 Bergen County veterans, the medical center became a Veterans Community Care Provider. Driven by service, Deb is an active community volunteer and board member, serving on several local, state and national boards for healthcare associations, executive leadership organizations, universities and more. Her leadership skills, stewardship and numerous accomplishments have earned her and Bergen New Bridge many awards and industry accolades.

Deborah Visconi is a leader who cares greatly.

Safety and wellbeing transformation through the Workplace Change Collaborative – Lauren Muñoz, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 16:04:04 -0400

The Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act is a first-of-its-kind law that supports healthcare workers’ mental health and wellbeing. Since its enactment in 2022, the law has helped transform processes, improve systems and save lives. This law and the ongoing work by the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and its ALL IN Coalition have also helped reduce or eliminate the structural, institutional and cultural barriers that prevent healthcare workers from accessing the mental health care they need and deserve.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, podcast host Liz Boehm speaks with Lauren Muñoz, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, a research scientist at The George Washington University’s Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity. Dr. Muñoz is also a member of the technical assistance center that helped coordinate collaboration among the Health Resources and Services Administration grantees under the Dr. Lorna Breen Act. During their conversation, Lauren describes the grantees’ work, the value of a national collaborative driving team member wellbeing in diverse environments, and the impact of enduring resources available for leaders to support system-wide organizational improvements.

Dr. Muñoz earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and PhD in nursing from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and for eight years provided clinical nursing care – first as a hospital nurse and later as a rheumatology nurse practitioner. Since 2019, Dr. Muñoz has conducted research on issues impacting the healthcare workforce, including work environment challenges and decisions surrounding healthcare careers and education. From 2022 to 2025, she was the project manager for the Workplace Change Collaborative, a technical assistance center for federally-funded organizations, implementing strategies for healthcare and public safety workforce wellbeing. She currently serves as the Health Equity Scholar for the Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, a global network of health equity leaders, and continues her research.

Dr. Lauren Muñoz is a leader who cares greatly.

Illness does not equal impairment: Why care team members deserve a supportive path back to practice – Chris Bundy, MD, MPH

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:02:32 -0400

Having a mental health condition, including depression or substance use disorder, does not automatically mean that a physician, nurse or other healthcare professional is unable to provide patient care in a competent, ethical and professional manner. Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, FAPA, FASAM, and other leaders of state-based professional health programs (PHPs) support physicians and other healthcare professionals as they navigate mental health conditions and help find supportive paths back to practice once their illness is managed.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Bundy talks about how PHPs work, his involvement with the Washington PHP and the Federation of State PHP. He shares some common misperceptions about mental health and substance use, and why the stress and trauma-exposure inherent with working in healthcare environments may create unique vulnerabilities for care team members. Dr. Bundy explains some of the challenges and limitations of PHPs, and discusses how many programs have expanded their purview to support a broader group of healthcare professionals beyond physicians. Today, many PHPs offer support to pharmacists, dentists, physicians’ assistants and nurses.

Dr. Bundy is Executive Medical Director of the Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) and Chief Medical Officer of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP). Board-certified in adult and geriatric psychiatry as well as addiction medicine, he holds faculty appointments as a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor at the Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Drawing on his extensive experience as a healthcare leader, medical educator and physician in recovery, Dr. Bundy is dedicated to advancing education, advocacy and support for physician health and care team wellbeing. His contributions have been recognized with the President’s Unsung Hero Award from the Washington State Medical Association and the Presidential Recognition Award from FSPHP.

Dr. Chris Bundy is a leader who cares greatly.

Protecting capacity to learn as a focus of wellbeing – Carlton Abner, DNP, RN, NBC-HWC

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:57:33 -0400

What if we could bridge the divide between healthcare leaders who understand that team member safety and wellbeing is essential and those who view it as nice-to-have with a small shift in focus? That’s what happens when Carlton Abner, DNP, RN, NBC-HWC, reframes wellbeing goals as protecting capacity – whether capacity to learn or teach, perform or recover, or empathize and connect.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Abner shares what it means to protect capacity for students at Kansas City University (KCU), including medical students. He shares how important capacity protection is for a generation of students who want to engage differently in their work, with a strong focus on passion and connection.

Dr. Abner’s 30+ years of healthcare and leadership experience began as an ER/trauma nurse with the Army where he led interprofessional teams within various healthcare settings around the world. Today he serves as the Vice Provost for Student Engagement and Wellbeing at KCU. In this role, he works to elevate and strengthen the overall culture of student engagement and comprehensive wellbeing strategies.

Before joining KCU, Dr. Abner was the Dean and Lead Faculty for the Veterans Affairs Innovative Technology Advancement Lab at Cerner in Kansas City, Missouri. He recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the Kansas Air National Guard, where he was one of only 89 Chief Nursing Executives nationwide, culminating a distinguished 25-year military career.

Dr. Carlton Abner is a leader who cares greatly.

Human-centered leadership: Reflections from a quality leader – Shannon Connor Phillips, MD, MPH

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:48:00 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Liz and Shannon revisit the mastery model of human-centered leadership in this new context. Shannon shares her views on what’s the same, what has changed, and how leaders can continue to find joy in their work and use that joy to help improve the safety and wellbeing of their teams.

Shannon Connor Phillips, MD, MPH, has a diverse range of healthcare experience. Before retiring in 2024 she served on the Board of Directors at the National Quality Forum and was Chief Health Officer at Joyous, a tech company focused on improving operations and culture through two-way, AI-supported human conversations. Before that Shannon was the President of Intermountain Medical Group. She was also the Chief Patient Experience Officer at Intermountain Health, where she designed and led programs to help improve patient and care team experience, safety and quality. Because of this work, she was named a “CXO to Know” and “Patient Safety Expert to Know” by Becker’s Hospital Review. Shannon also worked at Cleveland Clinic, where she served as Physician Lead for the Office of Clinical Transformation and Associate Chief Quality Officer. She also served as Patient Safety Officer at Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital. Prior to Cleveland Clinic, Shannon worked at Riley Children's Health and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia as a pediatrician.

Dr. Shannon Phillips is a leader who cares greatly.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker. The provided resources may contain links to external websites or third-party content. We do not endorse, control or assume any responsibility for the accuracy, relevance, legality or quality of the information found on these external sites.

Workplace violence prevention and recovery in the emergency department: A nurse’s perspective – Sarah-Marie Baumgartner, RN

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:45:46 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Sarah-Marie Baumgartner, RN, talks about ways nurses can protect themselves in the emergency department (ED )and other healthcare settings and how organizations can reduce the likelihood of both physical and verbal assault on care team members. She shares a pragmatic approach to zero tolerance that focuses not on zero-incidences of violence, but on zero tolerance for a lack of communication, training, resources, policies and procedures to help decrease workplace violence. In all of her work, Sarah Marie encourages innovation, collaboration and outside-the-box thinking.

With almost 20 years of experience and leadership in various nursing departments, Sarah-Marie currently works as a bedside nurse in the ED. She is also a member of her hospital’s Workplace Violence Committee, AONL and the International Association of Healthcare Security and Safety, serving on the Board of Directors for the Association’s Great Lakes Chapter. As the host of The Security Nurse Podcast, she amplifies important conversations about workplace violence prevention, de-escalation strategies and advocacy for holistic healthcare. Sarah-Marie is passionate about fostering a safer and more supportive environment for both patients and care team members, ensuring that compassion and trauma-informed leadership and care extend beyond the bedside. An instructor of the SPEAR self-defense system, Sarah-Marie is an educator first and foremost. Throughout her work, she shares insights, knowledge, research and captivating stories that connect the dots between safety, health and human connection in healthcare.

Sarah-Marie Baumgartner is a leader who cares greatly.

Six actions to break down barriers and be ALL IN for mental health care

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:26:34 -0400

Since 2020, the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation (LBF) and members of its ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare Coalition have worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the mental health care needs and rights of healthcare workers.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Corey Feist, Co-founder and CEO, and Stephanie Simmons, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Officer of the LBF, talk about the work they’ve done and continue to do to remove barriers to mental health care access for healthcare workers. Together, they share results of a new research report published in collaboration with the Heart of Safety Coalition that shows how clinicians perceive structural, institutional and cultural barriers that can prevent them from accessing care. They also discuss six actions organizations and leaders can take to help care team members get access to mental health care without fear of stigma, discrimination or professional repercussions.

Preventing suicide among clinicians starts with understanding with Amanda Choflet, DNP

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 15:02:02 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Amanda Choflet, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Dean of Nursing at Northeastern University, shares the path that led her to studying mental health, substance use and suicide risk among clinicians. Dr. Choflet’s research underscores the importance of creating access to mental health care and substance use resources that center around human-centered care and wellbeing rather than starting from a punitive or disciplinary stance. Because actions speak louder than words, Dr. Choflet shares evidence-based interventions that healthcare leaders can use to create work environments where clinicians feel safe and supported.

The Pitt and the truth about care team member safety and wellbeing – Mel Herbert, MD, FACEP

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:16:12 -0400

Since 2019, Caring Greatly has beena destination where listeners can be inspired to innovate and help transform healthcarefor the better. All 100 episodes have been thoughtfully created to bring morevisibility to the importance of care team safety and wellbeing, which the Heartof Safety Coalition defines as psychological and emotional safety, dignity andinclusion, and physical safety.

To commemorate this excitingmilestone and bring more awareness to the three pillars of care team safety, weinvited Mel Herbert, MD, to join podcast host Liz Boehm for a specialconversation. Dr. Herbert is an ED physician, medical educator and a consultantand writer for the ground-breaking medical drama The Pitt. The show’shuman-centered stories and heart-hitting visuals are shining a spotlight on thehard truths and real challenges that care team members face hour by hour -whether it’s resource constraints, moral dilemmas, unimaginable losses orworkplace violence. It also showcases the incrediblehumanity healthcare workers bring to each other and to their patients.

The views and opinions expressed in thispodcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views orpositions of Stryker.

Validated measurement tool assesses care team wellbeing through a system lens - K. Elliott Higgins III, MD

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 03:38:10 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, K. Elliott Higgins III, MD, is Director of Health and Wellbeing for UCLA’s Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, shares the origin of the Wellbeing Influencers Survey for Healthcare (WISH). The survey initiative began when Dr. Higgins and his team wanted more insight into specific drivers and barriers for wellbeing. He describes the process by which he and his team collaborated with an extended team of content experts to identify the eight critical drivers of team member wellbeing and then validate a set of questions that accurately assess these drivers and reliably predict key outcomes including burnout, intent to leave and professional fulfillment. Finally, Elliott shares the ways that the WISH survey is helping to facilitate culture change and team alignment by creating a shared lexicon and helping teams focus on changes that have the biggest impact on safety and wellbeing. He also outlines the team’s efforts to test the survey’s value in multi-center trials within anesthesia, as well as trials in other specialties, with hopes that the survey will help to improve cultures of care team safety and wellbeing across the healthcare ecosystem.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

How authentic leadership fosters psychological safety, dignity and inclusion – Jeremy Segall, MA, RDT, LCAT, FPCC

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 02:26:02 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Jeremy Segall, MA, RDT, LCAT, FPCC, inaugural System Chief Wellness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, shares his personal journey of advancing into a health system leadership role with a unique background, learning to leverage skills from his diverse experience and strengths to lead with purpose. He shares what it means to lead authentically and embrace one’s full identity at work, emphasizing the importance of human-centered cultures that foster dignity, inclusion and belonging. Jeremy talks about the link between vulnerability and authenticity. He also explains why the courage to show up authentically is essential to create ideal working and healing environments that support the three pillars of care team safety, as well as exceptional patient care.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Recovery techniques to turn trauma into growth – Terri Bogue, RN, MSN

Thu, 22 May 2025 19:55:05 -0400

In this Caring Greatly episode, Terri describes how overwhelming and difficult experiences get recorded in a person’s body and psyche as trauma. She explains how trauma coping skills such as compartmentalization and detachment can serve care team members in the short-term, but can lead to trauma triggers later that result in emotional overwhelm or physiologic distress unless the traumatic experience is immediately addressed and effectively processed. Terri shares how trauma processing can happen individually, with peers or with professional support. Given the likelihood of exposure to traumatic events, it’s important for care team members to learn techniques and skills they can use to heal. It’s also important to know that support is available and acceptable to seek. Terri shares a personal story about losing a loved one to suicide. She explains that feeling vulnerable and safe to talk about traumatic events and accepting that humans experience trauma can normalize seeking help and learning recovery techniques.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

How systems and leaders can build and support a healthy nursing workforce – Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Mon, 05 May 2025 17:40:50 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Cipriano explains the 2025 International Nurses Day theme, “Our Nurses. Our Future. Caring for Nurses Strengthens Economies.” She describes ICN’s call to value, protect and respect nurses as a foundational requirement for patient safety and outcomes, as well as a critical part of supporting the overall welfare of nurses and the organizations for which they work. Dr. Cipriano also outlines ICN’s seven-part agenda for sustainable nursing workforce wellbeing and drills into how nursing and institutional leaders can identify opportunities in their scopes of ownership and influence to improve nurse safety and wellbeing.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

A nurse-security liaison supports safer healthcare environments – Mark Allred, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CHSO

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 21:06:09 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Mark describes his career journey and what it means to be a liaison between the system’s security team and clinical professionals they help protect. He talks about day-to-day experiences of healthcare professionals as they learn new situational awareness, de-escalation and other skills in response to the national rise in workplace violence. Mark explains the importance of communication between clinical care team members and security professionals to create effective responses to risky or escalating situations in healthcare environments. He emphasizes how a team-based approach to workplace violence prevention helps create higher levels of safety for care team members and the patients and families they serve. And finally, Mark shares how his role fits into the larger workplace violence prevention strategies at Geisinger.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Trauma-informed leadership as a foundation of care team safety and wellbeing – Sadie Elisseou, MD

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 01:15:14 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Sadie shares the core concepts of trauma-informed leadership and care, including realizing the prevalence of trauma, recognizing its signs and symptoms, responding in a trauma-informed way, and resisting re-traumatization. She talks about how embracing these principles creates safer healthcare experiences for patients and clinicians. She also talks about how to lead people and teams using the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAHMA) six principles of trauma-informed care:

Safety: physical, psychological and emotional
Trustworthiness and transparency
Peer support
Collaboration and mutuality
Empowerment, voice and choice
Cultural, historical and gender issues

Sadie also delves into how a trauma-informed approach reframes thinking about “disruptive behavior” in a way that allows for more meaningful solutions and less stress and distress for leaders and team members alike. Finally, Sadie shares a vision for a trauma-informed future where healthcare shifts from a focus on transactions to relationships.

Nursing engagement in technology design and implementation is essential to safety and wellbeing – Molly K. McCarthy, MBA, BSN, RN-NI

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:10:26 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Molly talks about the importance of bridging perspective gaps between clinicians, technologists and business leaders. She describes how engineers need to see clinical workflows first-hand in different care settings to understand real-world applications for technology. In turn, clinicians benefit from directly experiencing software and hardware solution development. This two-way collaboration enables understanding of subtle nuances that make technology successful in the clinical space. Molly goes on to describe how exposing clinicians and engineers to each other’s work early in their respective education creates a shared understanding and vocabulary for solving future challenges. It also paves the way for advancing cultures of respect and collaboration. Finally, Molly outlines a vision for the future in which technology ceases to be a barrier between clinicians and patients and becomes an enhancer of safety and wellbeing for all.

Please visit www.heartofsafetycoalition.com for links related to this episode.

Strategies to support and retain women physicians – Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:12:10 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Diane talks about the research exploring why women physicians tend to reduce work hours or leave their profession at higher rates than their male counterparts. The reasons are far more structural and cultural than biological, including differences in expectations and accountability – both on the part of fellow team members and of patients. She shares the underlying data behind this trend that point to fixes that are less about training and conformity and more centered on a shift in healthcare culture that values relationships and connection over transactions. It’s an approach that generally leads to better care outcomes. Diane concludes with her perspective on how structural and policy changes can support the long-term career viability and joy in practice for women physicians and other women clinicians.

Please visit www.heartofsafetycoalition.com for links related to this episode.

Lessons from palliative care help leaders address team member suffering to support their wellbeing – Jennifer K. Clark, MD

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 15:54:14 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Jennifer talks about how the core concepts of training from med-peds (internal medicine plus pediatrics) hospice and palliative care have informed her systems thinking and transformation approaches. She shares how palliative care challenges the notion in medicine that death is a failure and what can happen for team member wellbeing when leaders upend that assumption.

Jennifer also delves into the thought framework of her new book, Suffer, which looks at the core needs of human beings and the value of suffering. Much of the framework is through the lens of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. While suffering is what happens when core needs go unmet, understanding human suffering helps illuminate the fundamental nature of needs and how they play out for patients and for care team members. Finally, Jennifer helps leaders connect the dots between understanding suffering and the opportunities for empathy, innovation and thriving when team members’ needs for safety, wellbeing and belonging are met.

Additional resources are available at www.heartofsafetycoalition.com

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Psychological first aid as a remedy to reduce mental health stigma – Christina Watlington, PhD and Christine McGuire, MSc

Fri, 24 Jan 2025 18:06:25 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Christina and Christine share the details of the Psychological First Aid (PFA) training they created and launched at ChristianaCare. Their training, which has reached more than 50% of leaders at ChristianaCare, uses an easy-to-remember three-step model of recognizing signs of stress or distress, supporting immediate recovery and referring team members to additional resources provided by ChristianaCare to support team member safety and wellbeing. As a result, the number of referrals to the organization’s Care for the Caregiver program has doubled. Essentially, PFA serves as a culture change mechanism to help reduce the stigma around mental health care. By giving leaders and bedside team members a shared vocabulary around safety and wellbeing, help-seeking behavior is being normalized. It’s also opening new horizons and expanding resources to support more elements of trauma recovery and trauma-informed care and leadership.

Find more resources at www.heartofsafetycoalition.com

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Culture and process change to support team member safety and wellbeing – Linda McHugh, MT, MBA, and Tria Deibert, MA

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:25:18 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Linda and Tria talk about how culture affects team member safety and wellbeing. They share specifics about recent process and technology changes that have helped to build trust, connection and belonging between leaders and team members across clinical, operational and administrative teams. Linda and Tria talk about the data they use to direct cultural transformation, and why it’s important to ensure that culture recognizes and values team members as whole human beings in addition to the job skills and abilities they offer the organization. Finally, they describe how an intentional culture helps improve patient-family experience and outcomes.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

For links related to this episode, please visit www.heartofsafetycoalition.com

Making team member wellbeing a top strategic priority – Bryan Batson, MD

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 22:15:18 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Batson shares the changes he and his leadership team have made at Hattiesburg Clinic to support team member wellbeing. He talks about a physician onboarding process that supports new physicians through their first three years at the organization, the time when they are building leadership credibility, teamwork and habits that will support them throughout their tenure at the organization. Dr. Batson describes how, emerging from the pandemic, team members asked for more chances to connect socially and how the leaders at Hattiesburg Clinic ensure wellbeing efforts extend to all care team members. He also shares how this focus on human connection has resulted in exceptional outcomes for patients and team members alike.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion at the systemic, institutional and individual levels – Daniele Ölveczky, MD

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 17:50:31 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Daniele talks about the small and large actions that create diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging at the structural, institutional and individual levels. She shares the ways that privilege, in any form, can be leveraged to undo structural inequities and to create safety for individuals. She outlines the ways that BIDMC reaches out to the surrounding community to create pathways toward health equity as well as representation in healthcare careers. Daniele shares that equity and inclusion are rooted in healthcare data, and she closes with all of the ways to find hope and rise above political divisions toward inclusive service.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Security personnel as an extension of the care team – Todd Miller

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 08:11:18 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Mr. Miller talks about the increase in workplace violence in healthcare settings and how he and his team of security professionals respond to the rising threat. He describes how the role and responsibilities of security professionals have evolved as our understanding of trauma-informed care has grown. Mr. Miller talks about de-escalation approaches that try to minimize physical intervention, and how the profile of strong candidates for the security role has evolved to include the ability to connect easily with patients and families. And he discusses the need for security professionals to have their own resources and post-incident debriefs to support their wellbeing.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Diversifying the field of anesthesiology – Wallena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAAN

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 23:01:56 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Gould shares how and why she created the Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program, a program designed to support nurses from under-represented groups as they learn about and pursue advanced anesthesia education and careers. She describes how the program aims to create smoother pathways to advanced credentialing to students and mid-career nurses who may not have exposure or experience with these types of career opportunities. Dr. Gould explains the importance of mentorship and the value of having diverse representation in all aspects of nursing care.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Equipping frontline leaders to support team member wellbeing – L. Casey Chosewood, MD

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 19:44:50 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Chosewood talks about the critical role frontline leaders play in supporting team member safety and wellbeing. He delves into how frontline leaders play a role in the three P’s of total worker health – policies, programs and practices – both influencing their creation and overseeing their implementation. He talks about how frontline leaders are essential to minimizing work stress and supporting team members because they control schedules, the pace of work and how much control and flexibility team members have in daily work. Dr. Chosewood also shares the critical role of frontline leaders in supporting inclusion, belonging and trust, essential factors in workplace safety and wellbeing. He also shares measurements that frontline and senior leaders can use to gauge workplace wellbeing.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

How science and stories support wellbeing transformation – Nadia Charguia, MD

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:50:59 -0400

Nadia Charguia, MD, is an associate professor and child psychiatrist with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also the Director for the Taking Care of Our Own Program and serves as the Executive Medical Director for UNC Healthcare’s Integrated Wellbeing Program, leading wellbeing efforts systemwide. In this role, Dr. Charguia works to directly to support and promote the mental health needs of physicians and other healthcare professionals as well as resident and medical student education and support. Clinically, Dr. Charguia’s scope of practice has included working with children, adolescents, adults and their families in the context of associated mood, anxiety, trauma, eating and/or psychotic related disorders.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Charguia shares how wellbeing efforts at UNC shifted from a focus on individual practices to support clinicians to a systems-based approach that works toward practice transformation. She explains how and why UNC Healthcare employs human-factors engineers to support science-based improvements in clinical workflows and resourcing. Dr. Charguia also describes how storytelling around wellbeing challenges can support the science of change.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

A neurosurgeon’s view of compassion in action – Jody Stern, MD

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 00:27:48 -0400

Joseph “Jody” Stern, MD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon, author and speaker. In 2015, Dr. Stern lost his sister to a nearly year-long battle with leukemia. Through this loss, his encounters with medical professionals, and his own experience as a neurosurgeon, Dr. Stern realized the need to integrate compassion and empathy into the medical field. He has since become committed to deepening and humanizing the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Stern’s book, Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion, explores the impact of grief and loss on doctors and patients, and advocates for medical professionals to tap into their emotions when interacting with patients and their families. Dr. Stern currently serves as a professor at University of Michigan Medicine.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Stern shares the story of how his personal losses have led him to a new view of medicine and how to create safe, supportive environments for clinicians and patients alike. He delves into his work to advance compassion in action at University of Michigan Medicine, which involves communication training for neurosurgery residents, integration of palliative care into neurosurgery practice, and surgical ergonomics for surgeon wellbeing. Dr. Stern believes that by improving practice environments, we can increase the longevity, wellbeing and joy in practice for all healthcare team members.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

The Impact Wellbeing™ Guide – John Howard, MD, and Stefanie Simmons, MD

Wed, 01 May 2024 22:38:10 -0400

John Howard, MD, MPH, JD, LLM, MBA, serves as Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, D.C. He first served as Director of NIOSH from 2002 through 2008 and is currently serving his fourth six-year term starting in 2021. Prior to his appointment as Director of NIOSH, Dr. Howard served as Chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health in the California Department of Industrial Relations, Labor and Workforce Development Agency, from 1991 through 2002. Dr. Howard is board certified in internal medicine and occupational medicine. He is admitted to the practice of medicine and law in the State of California and in the District of Columbia. He is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court bar.

Stefanie Simmons, MD, FACEP, is the Chief Medical Officer at the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and a board-certified emergency medicine physician and healthcare executive. Dr. Simmons served as the Vice President of clinician engagement for Envision Physician Services for more than seven years, serving more than 26,000 physicians and advance practice providers with a focus on professional wellbeing, including translational research and programs designed to bring wellbeing best practices to clinical environments. She served as lead clinical faculty for the Clinician Experience Project Wellbeing program.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Drs. Howard and Simmons share insights about the creation of the Impact Wellbeing Guide. The Guide, which is free, provides concrete, evidence-informed steps leaders can take to carry out the broader recommendations from the U.S. Surgeon General and National Academy of Medicine. They discuss insights from the process of creating and testing the Guide across multiple hospitals in the CommonSpirit Health System. And they offer guidance to leaders who are just getting started on their professional wellbeing journey.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

The Power of Connected Leadership Jennifer Clark, MD

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 23:45:33 -0400

Educated at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and trained at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Harvard fellowship in Palliative Care Education and Practice, Jennifer K. Clark, MD, has been in the world of healthcare for more than 20 years. With Med-Peds training and board certification in the subspecialty of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Dr. Clark is a physician and healthcare delivery consultant serving in various roles as a clinician educator, administrator and innovator at the local, national and international levels. When not serving in her volunteer role at Clarehouse, Tulsa Oklahoma’s home for the dying, Dr. Clark teaches at The University of Tulsa and collaborates with various organizations dedicated to fostering innovative approaches to human flourishing. Recently, she began the process of authoring a book on the power of suffering.

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Clark shares insights from research she recently published on leadership loneliness in partnership with the Institute for Healthcare Excellence. She delves into the ways that leader loneliness creates a self-reinforcing cycle in which isolation leads to self-devaluation, attempts to compensate through more work and less sleep, which then further compromises connection. As a result, says Dr. Clark, they become less effective and resilient as leaders, decreasing the efficacy of their teams and lowering organizational resilience. Like burnout in clinicians, leader loneliness results from structural elements that can be addressed through deliberate connection and positive organizational design.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker.

Supporting nurse wellbeing across the career continuum – Robin Geiger

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 19:23:58 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Geiger talks about the need to support nurses holistically through an approach that Ingenovis calls ACT, which stands for Advocacy, Career, and Tools. Based on interdisciplinary research, Dr. Geiger and her team built the approach as a means of combatting burnout and building resilience at both the structural and individual levels. By advocating for what nurses and other clinicians need at the policy level, supporting their career advancement, and providing tools and resources that teach individual wellbeing, Dr. Geiger hopes to bolster the nursing field and keep more nurses working in roles that offer professional fulfillment and personal wellbeing.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, part of Stryker.

Downregulating the Nervous System as a Pathway to Wellbeing – Steve Forti

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 15:43:47 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Mr. Forti shares the science of autonomic downregulation as a focal point for individual wellbeing. While he is an advocate for system change, he believes that those in the healing profession also have a moral obligation to care for their personal wellbeing, given the critical nature of the work they do and the proven links between wellbeing and patient care outcomes. At Hospital for Special Surgery, Mr. Forti created a program that teaches the science behind autonomic downregulation as well as simple practices such as sleep, breathwork, alcohol-abstention, gratitude and nutrition that support heart-rate variability (HRV), a key measure of wellbeing. To date, more than 700 clinicians have completed the training.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, now part of Stryker.

Evidence-based Wellbeing Practices – J. Bryan Sexton

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:06:20 -0400

In this episode of Caring Greatly, Dr. Sexton talks about his team’s focus on providing accessible, evidence-based wellbeing practice to healthcare team members across the country. His five-part training covers gratitude, work-life balance, self-compassion, awe and wonder, and group-level wellbeing. The approach mixes didactic learning on the science behind wellbeing practices as well as time to put the concepts into practice. Dr. Sexton believes that evidence-based, individually-focused wellbeing practices are an essential complement to broader efforts to transform system factors that cause burnout and distress.

Minimizing Cognitive Overload to Support Team Member Safety and Wellbeing - Elizabeth Harry, MD

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:22:43 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Harry and I talk about the principles of cognitive load theory and how they apply to the practice of medicine. We discuss individual, team, and systems approaches to managing and minimizing cognitive load by removing extraneous load from system processes and technologies. We talk about the need to bring human factors engineering science and principles into healthcare so that leaders can work with the cognitive capacities of team members, and free up their finite resources for the most human-centered tasks and relationships. Finally, Dr. Harry shares insights into how leaders at every level can contribute to team member and patient safety by prioritizing an understanding of cognitive capacity and designing accordingly.

Dr. Liz Harry is a leader who cares greatly.

The Transparency Conundrum with Danielle Ofri, MD

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 20:28:53 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Ofri and I talk about an article she recently published in the New Yorker titled, “The Curious Side Effects of Medical Transparency.” We delve into how the act of exposing medical notes to patients necessarily changes their purpose and their content, and how that, in turn, changes the thinking processes of clinicians. We talk about how art and expression are both integral to and separate from the art and science of medicine. Finally, Dr. Ofri offers advice to rising clinicians about how to separate their responsibilities from their identities to support sustainable practice.

Dr. Danielle Ofri is a leader who cares greatly.

The Mind-Heart Connection with Jonathan Fisher, MD

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 13:51:03 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Fisher and I talk about how he came to medicine and his experience of burnout, depression, and disillusionment in his early career. That experience led him to take a deep dive into ancient wisdom traditions, but with a scientist’s mind. We look at the seven traits of the heart (steadiness, wisdom, openness, wholeness, courage, lightness and warmth) and how bringing these into healthcare practice creates presence, connection, and, ultimately, healing.

Dr. Jonathan Fisher is a leader who cares greatly.

Creating an Ethical Practice Environment with Dr. Cynda Hylton Rushton

Mon, 22 May 2023 22:46:04 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Rushton and I talk about the concept of values discordance, and what happens when a person perceives their personal or professional values to be out of alignment with their organization’s values. We look at the ways values play out in an organization – through leadership, decision making, and budgeting. We dig into the link between values and moral injury, and how ethics considerations need to be a central component of leaders’ wellbeing and leadership strategies. And Dr. Rushton lays out a structure for how leaders can safeguard ethics and values through leadership and safety infrastructure to support expectations and accountability, practice integration, continuous improvement, and competency building.

Leading for Wellbeing and Resilience with Paul DeChant, MD

Wed, 10 May 2023 23:42:57 -0400

In this episode, Dr. DeChant and Liz Boehm talk about what’s different about workplace transformation in the trailing edge of the COVID-19 pandemic. We look at the need to rethink workload as an antidote to burnout, digging deeper than the concept of exhaustion into the causes of cynicism and inefficacy. This means delving into concepts such as respect, values, and community connection. Dr. DeChant talks about management concepts such as LEAN and what it takes to apply these in ways that solve for burnout rather than contributing to it. We touch on leadership burnout and how leaders can care for their own resilience and wellbeing and then lead others on a path toward joy and wellbeing at work.

Eliminate Intrusive Questions in Licensure and Credentialing to Reduce Mental Health Stigma - Corey Feist, JD, MBA

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 19:30:09 -0400

In this episode, Mr. Feist and I talk about the factors that led to Dr. Breen’s death by suicide in 2020. Chief among these was a fear of losing her medical license if it became known that she had needed mental health support. This legacy is what has led the Foundation to launch a campaign to eliminate intrusive mental health questions from healthcare professional licensure and credentialing processes, a change that will help reduce the stigma that currently exists in healthcare around seeking mental health support. This change is beginning to happen at healthcare institutions and in state licensing boards across the country and represents a simple yet meaningful change to creating safer healthcare workplaces for team members and patients alike.

Fundamental Changes to Work Structure as an Antidote to Burnout - Lisa Bukovac, DO

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 15:44:08 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Bukovac and I talk about the factors in obstetrics that lead to physician burnout – especially the way that clinical practice is structured in a way that creates conflicts of time, attention and clinical expertise. Dr. Bukovac advocates for a fundamental restructuring of obstetrics training and operations that encourages physicians to specialize in office care, hospital care, or surgery. She believes this will not only lead to better clinical outcomes, but also a more manageable and sustainable practice model for clinicians. Dr. Bukovac shares her own journey from burnout to a practice that sustains her passion for medicine and allows her to balance work with her other life pursuits.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, now part of Stryker.

Managing the Polarity of Changing the System Versus Personal Resilience - Cynda Hylton Rushton, PhD

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:10:32 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Rushton and I talk about the current divide between advocates of system change to improve clinician well-being, and those promoting personal resilience and well-being training. We look at the challenges of managing polarities as leaders embrace a both/and approach to team member well-being. Dr. Rushton shares the specifics of a personal resilience training that equips nurses at Hopkins to stand firm in their ethics and values, and to act as advocates for system improvement without sacrificing their personal well-being. Finally, Dr. Rushton paints a picture of leadership in which clinicians gain empowerment to manage their own well-being while acting as advocates for both their patients and their profession.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, now part of Stryker.

Linking Leader and Team Member Well-Being - Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 16:45:32 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Raso and I talk about her latest research looking at authentic leadership, healthy work environment, team-member well-being, and nurse retention. In it, she uncovered a remarkable resilience of nurse leaders to continue leading with authenticity and humanity, even as the work environment for nurses has diminished. We talk about the need to support nurse leaders with the same process and practice improvement, as well as well-being support that frontline nurses need and deserve. Dr. Raso lays out a hope-filled vision for a future in which the structures of support for nurses and nurse leaders emerge from the challenges of the pandemic stronger and more human-centered than ever.

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, now part of Stryker.

Trust as the Foundation for Safety and Well-being - Mike Woodruff, MD

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:21:15 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Woodruff and I talk about the central role that trust plays in supporting team member safety and well-being. While trust is not an unusual concept in leadership, Dr. Woodruff takes an expansive view, connecting it to every process that an individual interacts with within a system. He believes that any process that isn’t explicitly designed to build trust – by showing respect and integrity – has the potential to erode trust, and that those small, daily interactions carry more collective weight than a single, positive, in-person encounter. He and his team use two questions to filter the trust factor on organizational processes: Does it support the mission? And, is it kind?

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Vocera, now part of Stryker.

The 2022 Healthcare Workforce Rescue Package - Heather Farley, MD & Tina Shah, MD

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 17:19:25 -0400

Drs. Farley and Shah recently spearheaded a collaboration with leaders from the AMA, AHA, CEO Coalition, Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation, IHI, and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) to create the 2022 Healthcare Workforce Rescue Package. The package was devised to help leaders zero in on the most impactful team member well-being efforts to undertake at the current stage of the pandemic. In this episode, we delve into each of the five practices outlined in the Rescue Package and look ahead to how these create a foundation for a transformed culture of well-being for all healthcare team members.

Links related to Dr. Farley and Dr. Shah’s podcast:

· Resources: The 2022 Healthcare Workforce Rescue Package

· Schwartz Center Webinar: Five Evidence-Based Actions Leaders Can Take Now to Support the Healthcare Workforce

· National Academy of Medicine: Clinician Well-Being Resource Library

Leading the Evolving Healthcare Workforce - Rose O. Sherman, Ed.D, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 16:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Sherman and I discuss the transformative changes that are happening in the healthcare workforce, led by three critical trends: COVID-related turnover and travel; mental health challenges, and PTSD, and the shifting demographics of the workplace. We discuss how these trends are causing dramatic shifts in the structure of healthcare work and challenging leaders to find the flexibility and creativity to rethink how healthcare is delivered. Finally, we look ahead to a future in which team member well-being is the center of a vibrant healthcare workforce.

Evidence-Based Care Transformation for Clinical Resilience - Chris DeRienzo, MD, MPP

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 03:00:37 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Dr. DeRienzo and I discuss his new orientation to the “why” behind care transformation. Like most quality improvement leaders, Dr. DeRienzo’s focus has long been on the triple aim of improved care quality, reduced cost, and improved experience. But the work he’s focusing on now is creating energy and opportunity for a greater focus on health equity, necessary variability, and humanity. Care transformation, then, becomes less about productivity and standardization as a primary aim, and more about allowing clinicians to practice at the top of their humanity and their license in a way that is fulfilling and meaningful – which is also very likely to boost productivity and practice resilience over the long run.

The Evidence for Team Member Safety and Well-Being - Kedar Mate, MD

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 18:13:01 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Mate and I talk about research the IHI recently completed into a broadened definition of team member safety and well-being put forth by the CEO Coalition, a group of US-based healthcare CEOs who see team member safety and well-being as an essential component of healthcare efficacy and sustainability. The CEO Coalition’s Heart of Safety Declaration of Principles expands the definition of safety to include protecting psychological and emotional well-being, promoting health justice by declaring equity and anti-racism core components of safety, and ensuring physical safety, which includes a zero-harm program to eliminate workplace violence, both physical and verbal. Dr. Mate shares what he and his team learned through the research process and how improvement science is critical to advancing safety and well-being. He also shares a long-term vision for healthcare in which the traditional locations and relationships of care expand, requiring a renewed focus on adaptive leadership competencies.

Tapping Into the Wisdom and Purpose of Retired Physicians - Mike Rizzo, MD

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 20:56:40 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Rizzo and I talk about the impetus behind creating the Encore Physicians Program, and the benefit it brings to retired physicians, community health centers, and the patients they serve. We look at the synergy and learning opportunities provided by linking both primary care and specialty physicians to the patients who seek care at community health centers, as well as the role of an intermediary such as Encore Physicians in creating connections between clinics and retired physicians. Finally, Dr. Rizzo shares his perspective on things to consider for leaders looking to set up similar programs in other parts of the country.

The Power of Connection to Drive Well-Being - Kathryn Cziraky, MD

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:19:59 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Cziraky and I talk about her personal and practice transformation through a shift from transactional to relationship-based care, both with her team members and her patients. We talk about how a drive toward efficiency had left her feeling depleted and disconnected from her work. In early 2020, Dr. Cziraky was introduced to the work of the Institute for Healthcare Excellence through the National Taskforce for Humanity in Healthcare, which helped her embrace positive emotions and a more relational model of work and care, which complemented and completed her drive for sustainable and effective care practice. Dr. Cziraky shares the impact of this transition on her work, her life, and her team’s ability to weather the challenges of COVID-19.

Supporting Nurses Through the Trauma of COVID-19 - Diane Solomon, PhD, PMHNP-BC

Thu, 14 Oct 2021 16:23:22 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Solomon and I discuss the impact of poor practice design on the mental health and well-being of nurses. We delve into the specific trauma of the pandemic, and the need for system-level support and changes to overcome the “tyranny of individual responsibility” that is too often attached to mental well-being. We look at the need to include nurses in system decision processes and for leaders to listen with an open mind to nurses’ demands for system change – including the need to mark loss and make space for grieving. Finally, Dr. Solomon paints a future vision in which nurses are treated as full partners in a system that prioritizes prevention and well-being for patients and team members alike.

Improving Quality of Life for Cancer Survivors - Syril Pettit, DrPH, MEM

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:52:55 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Pettit and I talk about how advances in cancer treatment have increased survivorship, but also resulted in patients living long enough to experience the long-term side effects of both primary and adjuvant therapies. Often these impact survivors’ physical, emotional, and even financial and social well-being. Dr. Pettit and her team conduct and support research and innovation that bridge the interests and inputs of patients, life sciences firms, academic medicine, clinicians, and public health toward a future of survivorship that supports all aspects of patients’ health, well-being, and thriving.

Streamlining EHR Work to Improve Clinician Well-Being – Annie Ideker, MD

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 16:09:04 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Ideker and I dig deep into her team’s work on EHR optimization to ensure that the EHR works for clinicians and not the other way around. In 2020, after rapidly standing up telehealth infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ideker and her team identified four key areas of focus for EHR improvement: orders redesign, documentation, best practice and medication alerts, and Epic proficiency. In each of these areas, she and her team designed solutions using a data-driven approach, in partnership with clinicians, and always with the aim of making the technology effective, efficient, and even delightful.

Compassion as a Pathway to Well-being - Yotam Heineberg, PsyD

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 15:53:48 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Heineberg and I look at how the default tendencies of the brain can undermine compassion and resilience, especially in times of extraordinary stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We delve into the ways that technology can help extend access to mental health resources, while reinforcing social connections that support well-being. Finally, Dr. Heineberg outlines the importance of integrating well-being practices into collective daily work so that they help change culture.

Integrating Well-being into Daily Work - Jeremy Segall, MA, RDT, LCAT

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 14:13:23 -0400

In this episode, Mr. Segall and I talk about the interconnectedness of wellness and process improvement, particularly at this time when team members have experienced such intense stress and trauma and when staffing shortages are rampant. We delve into the need to integrate well-being into the daily work and operations of the health system so that team members have a chance to debrief and begin healing from stressful events without needing to carve out additional time. Finally, Mr. Segall lays out a vision for the future that rethinks the role of wellness and resilience as a core leadership responsibility.

Nurse Well-Being Hinges on Improving the Work - Rhonda Collins, RN, DNP, FAAN

Sat, 19 Jun 2021 02:20:19 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Collins and I talk about how responses to the COVID-19 crisis put stress on nurses in a way that will have long-term implications for individuals and the profession. We delve into the challenges that arise when seasoned professionals must shift from situations in which they can draw on ingrained expertise to ones in which they are relatively inexperienced – in other words, moving from novice to expert and back. We look at the ways nurse leaders can apply technologies and process improvements to minimize the cognitive burden on nurses, allowing them to limit stress and achieve professional well-being. Finally, Dr. Collins outlines a new study she is launching that uses the NASA Task Load Index to gauge the burden of clinical communication on nurses in high-stress environments with the aim of driving improvements across the industry.

Lessons from Family Experience During the Pandemic - Janet Smith-Hill, RN, MSN, SPHR

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 17:15:15 -0400

In this episode, Ms. Smith-Hill and I discuss the challenges of providing support to loved ones receiving care during the pandemic. We talk about the importance of strong communication, and the emotional impact of feeling disconnected. Finally, we look ahead to how family support will evolve as the pandemic subsides.

Solving the Unsolvable in Healthcare - Megan Ranney, MD, MPH

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 17:46:12 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Ranney and I talk about what it takes to tackle seemingly intractable problems in healthcare. We talk about the art of building grass-roots coalitions, and the role of leadership in creating environments in which innovation can prosper. We close with a look at the lessons from the pandemic that Dr. Ranney hopes we will carry forward into a post-pandemic world.

The Power of Support: #MedGradWishList - Farrah-Amoy Fullerton, MD

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 18:33:15 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Fullerton and I discuss her experience as a woman of color and foreign-born student as she has pursued her medical education. We examine issues of structural racism she has encountered and look at the importance of speaking up. Finally, we delve into the origins of #MedGradWishList and the vulnerability – and power – of asking for help.

Caring Conversations at End of Life and Always

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:01:11 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Ms. Grosklags and Dr. Maples share insights into how to have difficult conversations with patients, and why these skills of compassion, presence, listening, and partnering with patients are essential to driving positive outcomes for clinicians and patients alike at all points of the care journey. We look at the ways leaders are using Ms. Grosklags’s film to teach team members critical communication and connection skills, and how these skills are reinforced and made part of the cultural fabric by systemic training approaches like that led by Dr. Maples at the IHE. Finally, we examine why leaders should embrace these approaches now, as team members grapple with the challenges and fallout of the pandemic.

The Value of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity - Duane Elliott Reynolds, MHA

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 20:57:00 -0400

In this episode, Mr. Reynolds and I discuss the ways that an internal culture of belonging helps to promote equitable health outcomes. We look at ways that leaders can help create structures of accountability for health equity and belonging, and at the role of technology in helping to proactively identify opportunities to improve equity and belonging both inside and outside the organization. We close with thoughts on how both formal and informal leaders can build a culture in which team members and patients alike can thrive.

COVID-19 and Humanity in the Emergency Department - Justin Bright, MD, CPXP

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 19:01:03 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Bright and I talk about the emotional journey that frontline care team members have experienced as they went from fear and uncertainty to reckoning with injustice, through a brief respite in the summer to a rising national caseload through the fall and the holidays. We look at the ways that team members have supported one another individually and across organizations, and we look ahead to a future built on safety and trust that cares for team members and patients alike as whole humans.

The Burden and Joy of Caregiving During the Pandemic - Alex Drane

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 23:10:39 -0400

In this episode, Ms. Drane and I talk about the impact caregiving has on caregivers’ well-being. We look at the challenges and joys of caregiving and the kinds of support that is often available but unknown. We examine how COVID-19 has changed the role and visibility of caregiving, and we look ahead to future transformations that start with empathy.

Promoting Team Member Safety and Connection - Margaret Dimond, PhD

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 23:01:04 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Dimond and I talk about the challenges of ensuring team member safety both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the critical role of communication in providing a lifeline to security resources and in connecting care team members across disciplines and locations, which is equally critical – especially when infection control protocols prevent easy mobility. We look ahead to the broader implications for team member safety and well-being in the aftermath of COVID-19.

What “Experience” Means in COVID-19 Times - Jill Slominksi, MD

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 22:28:41 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Slominski and I talk about how her focus on clinical experience has shifted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time we spoke, New Mexico was in the midst of a surge of infections that was putting strain on team members, patients, families, and the community. We delved specifically into the concept of Code Lavender, a program for emotional support that Presbyterian had implemented prior to the pandemic, and how it has evolved to meet the changing needs of the care team. And we look ahead to a future in which humanity is at the center of healthcare decision making.

Team Member Well-Being in the Era of COVID-19 - Thomas E. Jenike, MD

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 20:22:08 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Jenike and I talk about how his work as a chief well-being officer has evolved, and how the COVID-19 pandemic is putting increased pressure on the well-being and mental health of team members. Dr. Jenike outlines how Novant Health is supporting team members, and why continued support is essential for the functioning of the health system.

The Value of Human-Centered Design in Healthcare - Nick Dawson, MHA

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 15:55:56 -0400

In this episode, Mr. Dawson and I talk about the value of human-centered design and why it is necessary for constructive and cost-effective healthcare innovation. We look at some of the barriers and imperatives for designing solutions that meet the health needs of patients and families while also creating supportive, human-centered work environments for healthcare team members. Finally, Mr. Dawson shares his vision for a more health-centered future that moves beyond the traditional walls of healthcare institutions.

Unleashing Innovation With a Focus on Humanity - Thomas Howell, MD, MS

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 22:51:08 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Howell and I talk about how he and his fellow clinicians shifted rapidly to virtual care when COVID-19 struck. We look at the importance of a whole-team based approach during any transition, as well as the way that Dr. Howell and others are re-examining care processes in the wake of the COVID-19 disruption. Finally, we look at the role of culture and mission in driving meaningful, sustainable innovation.

The Physician’s Perspective on Expanded Virtual Care - Aram Alexanian, MD

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 22:24:08 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Alexanian and I talk about the rapid adoption of virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic from the providers’ perspective. We look at the challenges to adopting new technologies and adapting to the circumstances of the pandemic. And we look at how support from fellow physicians paves the way to a practice approach that supports professional fulfillment.

Diversity and Equity as Part of Mainstream Quality - Louis H. Hart III, M.D.

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 19:51:17 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Hart and I discuss his approach to integrating equity into core quality and safety work. We examine why that integration is so important and delve into some of the specific approaches he and the organization are following to make that a reality. Dr. Hart outlines a newly revamped root cause analysis process that adds equity as an explicit focus.

Shifting the Nexus of Care - Patrick Kneeland, MD

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 20:37:45 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Kneeland and I look at the impact of COVID-19 on home care services. There’s been enormous focus on telehealth as a response to the pandemic, but providing acute care in the home has also been a critical lifeline for patients with both urgent and chronic care needs. In addition to the care model, we delve into the professional implications for well-being and satisfaction that comes with connecting with patients on their home turf.

Creating Trust Through Communication During COVID-19 - Anne Diamond, JD

Fri, 21 Aug 2020 01:22:33 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ Podcast, Ms. Diamond and I talk about the impact of COVID-19 on the Bridgeport (Conn.) community. Bridgeport is a racially and ethnically diverse community with a poverty rate double that of the Connecticut average. Despite this, Bridgeport Hospital had lower than expected COVID mortality among its black and Latinx patients. We delve into the importance of communication, community trust, and support for team members to a trend-bucking COVID-19 response.

How Racism Shapes Trust in Healthcare - Jeri Hill, PhD

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 02:02:18 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ Podcast, Dr. Hill and I delve into the history of systemic racism in society and medicine, and how that leads to distrust today. Dr. Hill shares both historical examples as well as more recent instances where racism and inequity have led to health disparities, including those witnessed in the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Hill advocates for inclusion and partnership, as well as recognition of the current and historical factors that lead to distrust as a path toward inclusion and equity.

The Inside-Out Perspective on COVID-19 - Bryan Mills

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 20:16:04 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ Podcast, Mr. Mills shares the challenges of leading a health system through the pandemic. We talk about the perspective he gained by his experience in the community, and the critical importance of communication as the financial, process, and health uncertainties of the COVID-19 response.

The Power of Peer Support for Care Team Members During COVID-19 - Jo Shapiro, MD

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 22:10:54 -0400

COVID-19 and Racial Equity in Healthcare - James Burroughs, JD

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 20:45:08 -0400

In this episode, Mr. Burroughs and I look at the longstanding issue of racial inequity in healthcare. We delve into the intersection of racism and social determinants of health, and the ways that they do and don’t overlap. Mr. Burroughs shares insights into why COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted communities of color, and how leaders can take aim at the root causes of racial injustice.

The Impact of COVID-19 on LGBTQ+ Children and Young Adults - Angela Goepferd, MD

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 18:04:42 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Goepferd and I discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on LGBTQ+ children and young adults. We delve into the challenges of Pride month under quarantine, and the importance of affirming and celebrating the unique identities of LGBTQ+ kids. We also look at issues of intersectionality, and the importance of listening to all members of the community across lines of gender, sex, race, sexuality, language, and other identities.

Humanity on the Frontlines of COVID-19 - Read Pierce, MD

Fri, 19 Jun 2020 22:32:30 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Pierce and I talk about the imperative clinicians feel to bring humanity to care during COVID-19, despite challenges to connection created by PPE, caseload, and restrictions on time spent with patients designed to limit infection risk. We also look at the path forward toward recovery and thriving, which includes individual support, team- and leadership-based efforts to maximize positive emotions, and deeper changes in healthcare systems.

Physician Suicide and the Impact of COVID-19 - Pamela Wible, MD

Thu, 18 Jun 2020 19:04:16 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Wible and I talk about the systemic factors that lead to physician suicide, particularly those pertaining to medical education. We look at the additional emotional and moral distress caused by COVID-19 and racial and social inequities. We end by discussing the kinds of transparency, reform, and leadership required to create a more humane medical system.

Envisioning a Path Forward from COVID-19 – Amy Compton-Phillips, MD

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 17:37:59 -0400

As the West Coast caseload eased, Dr. Compton-Phillips led a virtual offsite in which more than 200 leaders from across the system envisioned a path forward from the immediate response phase through recovery and into a future where they can grow toward their vision of health for a better world. On this episode, Dr. Compton-Phillips and I discuss the system’s future vision, strategies for lessening the health disparities that have been so starkly outlined by the COVID-19 crisis, and the importance of a leadership model based in listening to team members.

Responding to COVID-19 with Humanity - Rick Evans

Fri, 22 May 2020 21:20:03 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ Podcast, Rick and I discuss what it has been like to be at the epicenter of the pandemic. We look at how his team of experience professionals has stepped up to support patients, families, and care team members. We discuss the critical role of leadership in orchestrating a response centered on humanity. And we look ahead to how health systems in New York and across the continent will transform as they emerge from the shadow of COVID-19.

The Future of Telehealth in the COVID-19 Crisis and Beyond - Joe Kvedar, MD

Thu, 21 May 2020 19:05:24 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Dr. Kvedar and I discuss the steps needed to allow for the dramatic expansion of telehealth and virtual care that have accompanied the COVID-19 response. We also look ahead to the way that telehealth is likely to evolve in the immediate aftermath of the virus and ahead as we re-imagine the future of healthcare.

Caring for Patients and Care Teams in the Heart of the COVID-19 Crisis - Nancy Corcoran-Davidoff

Wed, 20 May 2020 21:31:09 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Nancy and I discuss the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the team members and communities across New Jersey. We explore how members of the patient experience team redeployed to serve the health, safety, spiritual, and connection needs of patients and families experiencing hospitalization during the crisis. We look at the long-term impacts on the mental health and well-being of team members, and how HMH is working to support them with clinician-led well-being outreach. And we look at the ways that care will be forever transformed by the lessons uncovered during the crisis.

Health Disparities and COVID-19 - Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD, MPH, MPA

Mon, 11 May 2020 21:14:24 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Dr. Fitzpatrick and I discuss the reasons that health disparities have resulted in the COVID-19 crisis having a disproportionate impact on communities of color and the poor. We look at how health systems and communities can respond in both the short- and long-term to minimize disparities in access to credible health information.

Supporting Clinician Well-Being and Thriving After COVID-19 - William Maples, MD

Fri, 08 May 2020 00:45:48 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Dr. Maples and I discuss the emotional impact of COVID-19 on clinicians. We look at the ways that healthcare systems and leaders can support the healing process and move toward an environment that doesn’t just prevent burnout, but one in which clinicians can thrive and reach their highest human and healing potential.

The Emotional Impact of Disaster Response and COVID-19 - Kimberly Glassman, PhD

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 21:11:28 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ Podcast, Dr. Glassman and I discuss what disaster response looks like in a situation like the COVID-19 surge in New York City. We talk about the importance of rest and seeking mental health support, as well as the ways that teamwork and support can lessen the challenges of care team member redeployment. Dr. Glassman also looks ahead to lessons learned from the current response that includes changes in clinician training, telemedicine, and innovation partnerships.

Virtual Rounding for Humanity and Recovery During COVID-19 - Sue Murphy, RN, BSN, MS

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:20:03 -0400

Sue Murphy, RN, BSN, MS, is the chief experience and innovation officer at University of Chicago Medicine (UCM). As leader of UCM’s Patient Experience and Engagement Program, Sue is a tireless champion for augmenting positive practices and supporting humanity and well-being for patients, families, and care team members. Like many experience teams, Sue and her team had built a rounding program prior to COVID-19 in which leaders would check in on patients, solve immediate comfort needs, and gather feedback on care (including kudos for team members). At the onset of COVID-19 infection control protocols that precluded in-person rounds, Sue and her team pivoted to virtual, phone-based rounding. The team is creating connection and caring relationships that support recovery from the stress of a COVID-era hospitalization before the patient leaves the hospitals, and helping care team members know they are not alone in caring for patients.

End of Life with Dignity and Humanity During COVID-19 - Jessica Nutik Zitter, MD, MPH

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:07:23 -0400

Jessica Nutik Zitter, MD, MPH, is a critical and palliative care specialist, author, filmmaker, and national advocate for transforming the way people die in America. She is the author of Extreme Measures, and the creator of the acclaimed documentary short Extremis and the forthcoming Caregiver: A Love Story. In this special edition of the Caring Greatly podcast, we talk about the unique challenges of end-of-life decision making and support during the COVID-19 crisis.

Hard Conversations and COVID-19 - Chris DeRienzo, MD, MPP

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 23:07:25 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly™ podcast, Dr. DeRienzo and I discuss the challenges of expressing humanity at a time when physical distancing and infection isolation are the norm. We also hit on transformations in telemedicine, and the need to create clearer supply chain responsibilities to prepare for a future pandemic.

Clinical Communication Technology and COVID-19 – Ben Kanter, MD, FCCP

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 20:29:13 -0400

Ben Kanter, MD, FCCP, is a pulmonologist and the chief medical information at Vocera Communications. In this special edition of the Caring GreatlyTM podcast, Dr. Kanter and I discuss the complexities of standing up communication infrastructure in COVID-19 surge environments. Dr. Kanter shares his experience working with health systems across the globe to improvise communication protocols that support clinicians working in surge tents, pop-up ICUs, and other novel environments. We conclude with how the communication adaptations required to respond to COVID-19 will lead to long-term revolutions in communication infrastructure.

End-of-Life Conversations and COVID-19 – Jennifer Brokaw, MD

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 23:17:38 -0400

Jennifer Brokaw, M.D. is an emergency physician, author, and patient advocate. In this special edition of the Caring GreatlyTM podcast, we discuss the importance of end-of-life conversations in the era of COVID-19. We dive into the kinds of depths and detail that families and loved ones can and should discuss to be prepared for what’s possible and lessen the trauma of last-minute decision making.

Clinical Communication and COVID-19 – Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN, FAAN

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 23:17:06 -0400

Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN, FAAN, is the chief nursing officer at Vocera Communications. In this special edition of the Caring GreatlyTM podcast, Dr. Collins describes how nursing leaders across the country are tackling the unique challenges of COVID-19. She covers how technology can enable clarity and connection at a time when the frontlines are facing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, anxiety, and isolation. As we begin to emerge from COVID-19, Dr. Collins envisions a world where clinician and staff support will be more critical than ever before.

Protecting Clinicians’ Humanity During COVID-19 – Bridget Duffy, MD

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 17:04:10 -0400

M. Bridget Duffy, M.D., is the chief medical officer at Vocera Communications. In this special edition of the Caring GreatlyTM podcast, Dr. Duffy shares insights into the experiences of clinicians and leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic. She discusses the need to provide safety and support to clinicians on the frontlines, and how clinicians are providing care and resources in their communities outside of their official roles.

Trust Through Human Connection – Lisa Fitzpatrick, MD

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 22:42:25 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Dr. Fitzpatrick and I discuss the role of human connection in addressing health disparities. It is easy for C-Suite leaders to acclimate to the daily complexities of care delivery, which makes it important to step back and meet patients where they are. There is so much to learn from the community that can inform solutions to the foundational issues of misinformation and mistrust, which are enormous drivers of cost in the United States.

Unleash Humanity with Technology – Alan Dubovsky, MBA

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 21:01:35 -0400

Mr. Dubovsky explains how a close partnership between experience and technology simplifies the work and provides a foundation for mutual effectiveness by maximizing adoption and minimizing mistakes. For a technology to be effective in delivering results, it needs to be intuitive, integrated securely with existing systems, and implemented seamlessly with existing initiatives. For a technology to unleash human potential, the people and teams involved need to discover and seize opportunities for deep cooperation and coordination.

Leading a Human-Centered Community - Bob Henkel, LFACHE

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 18:35:14 -0400

In this episode, we discuss how to build a community-based organization centered on vision and values and built on a foundation of trust. According to Mr. Henkel, it can be all too tempting to compromise that foundation with excuses or a lack of transparency. Instead, leaders must have the courage to weigh every decision through the lens of mission, vision, and values. For example, when a series of acquisitions made hundreds of administrative jobs redundant, Mr. Henkel and his team gave affected employees two-years advance notice that their positions would be eliminated. This gave team members the opportunity to skill up, apply for other positions in the organization, or seek opportunities elsewhere before their jobs ended.

Technology’s Role in Mitigating Cognitive Overload – Rhonda Collins, DNP, RN, FAAN

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 17:14:31 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, we look at how cognitive load and overload affect nursing practice. We consider what can happen when technology is introduced into clinical workflow without considering how it may diminish clinicians' ability to focus on critical patient care tasks. We delve into how technology can be used to mitigate cognitive overload so that clinicians can be fully present at the bedside. And we look at the role of clinical leaders in shepherding in the future of healthcare technology.

Human-Centered Leadership as the Foundation of Effective Care – Shannon Phillips, MD

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 20:12:18 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, we discuss how embracing human-centered leadership is foundational to providing safe, high-quality care in an environment of respect and teamwork. We delve into Intermountain’s experience promises (always safe, always present, always together) and look at how they apply at all levels and in all interactions across the system, as well as the “proofs” that demonstrate success.

Creating a Culture of Empowerment - Terry Hudson-Jinks, MSN, RN

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 18:41:43 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, we discuss what it means to instill a culture that is AlwaysThinkingAhead™ and how shared purpose can overcome the inherent tension between procedural checklists and creative thinking in healthcare. To bring a culture of empowerment to life, Ms. Hudson-Jinks and her fellow leaders are investing funds towards realizing brilliant ideas from team members and patients alike.

The Value of Human-Centered Leadership – Arden Krystal, MHA, CHE

Fri, 22 Nov 2019 00:46:32 -0400

Arden Krystal, MHA, CHE, is the president and chief executive officer of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Ontario, CAN. For Ms. Krystal, human-centered leadership (leading people with humanity) is an imperative for healthcare providers competing for a shrinking pool of qualified talent from a generation with an entirely different outlook on personal fulfillment at work. In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Ms. Krystal and I discuss the challenges female leaders face when they try to take a human-centered approach to leadership, as well as the benefits to the system when leaders and team members alike are empowered to bring their full humanity to work. We end with the notion that respect for your workforce means having the courage to not write policies designed to contain bad actors, but rather challenging your leaders to think in principles that empower the majority of dedicated team members without resorting to rules and regulations.

Storytelling for Empathy and Connection – Emily Silverman, MD

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 21:28:23 -0400

Emily Silverman, MD, is the creator and host of the Nocturnists live show and podcast, a practicing internist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. When Dr. Silverman felt a part of herself being stripped away by the “box-checking” culture of stoicism in medicine, she turned to the power of storytelling as a way to help herself and her colleagues digest and metabolize their shared experiences. In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Dr. Silverman describes stories as a way for humans to make sense of a chaotic universe and for each individual to find their place within it. She sheds light on how to unleash the healing power of stories to create human connection and empathy for others and for ourselves. Finally, we explore the value of storytelling within an organization and consider how to foster a culture of storytelling.

The Transformative Power of Human Connection – M. Bridget Duffy, MD

Fri, 25 Oct 2019 23:36:15 -0400

Dr. Duffy distills the power of human connection. We explore how changing the conversation can ignite a movement, and how bringing people together unleashes the potential energy of change. We discuss the power of voice in conveying the nuance of human hopes and fears, and the role of technology in restoring humanity to healthcare.

Inclusion and Equity in Medicine – Angela Goepferd, MD

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 19:54:07 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Dr. Goepferd champions an inclusive approach to healthcare that supports all patients in reaching their full potential. We discuss how her work to create a pediatric clinic serving LGBTQ and gender-diverse youth at Children’s Minnesota has helped their system transcend diversity efforts and begin to lay a foundation of inclusion. Throughout, Dr. Goepferd notes the importance of human connection in healing health disparities, and we close with an examination of technology’s role in amplifying those connections in the not-so-distant future.

Humanizing Lean Leadership – Susan Ehrlich, MD

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly Podcast, Dr. Ehrlich and I talk about what it means to lead with humility and how her organization evaluates and trains principle-based leadership. We discuss how Dr. Ehrlich works to model deference to expertise with her team members and in her direct partnership with patient-family advisors. As both CEO and eventual end user, Dr. Ehrlich closes by sharing her plans for an EHR implementation centered around the principle of respect for team members and patients alike.

The Science of Clinical Technology – Sean Spina, PharmD

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 17:28:09 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly Podcast, Dr. Spina and I talk about why it’s important to evaluate clinical communication technologies rigorously and with an eye toward improving care practice. We examine the ways that technology gets held to both higher and lower standards when organizations approach adoption and design protocols for safe and appropriate use.

Patient Stories Made Visible – Regina Holliday

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 19:32:12 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly Podcast, Ms. Holliday and I talk about the importance of transparency and clarity in healthcare communication, the power of art in advocacy, and how healthcare leaders can bridge the gap between their insider perspective and that of patients, families, and community members to create a future healthcare system that serves the needs of all.

Love-Driven Technology Strategy – Norma Tirado, MBA

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 22:08:10 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly Podcast, Ms. Tirado and I talk about her role spanning human resources and information technology and how this helps to humanize the selection and implementation of technology. We cover the importance of bringing technology and clinical teams together to drive transformation, and how shifting a culture to focus on love changes everything.

Building a Culture of Kindness – Shannon Landry, RN, BScN, MN

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 19:33:43 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly Podcast, Ms. Landry delves into the transformative power of kindness as a cultural focus and how kindness is measured as part of Bluewater’s strategic plan. We also explore a human-centered approach to decision making in which the executive team keeps “Emily,” the composite personification of patients and team members, at the center of every decision.

Restoring Meaning and Joy in Work – Christine Sinsky, MD

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 19:57:38 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Dr. Sinsky shares insights into the importance of system-level change for burnout prevention, as well as specific recommendations for practice re-engineering that can reinvigorate care team members and help restore purpose and meaning to work.

Amplifying Joy for Well-Being and Outcomes – Ron Paulus, MD, MBA

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 18:02:56 -0400

In this episode of the Caring Greatly podcast, Dr. Paulus describes how he and his team expanded from a focus on safety to one that put team member well-being at the center of the system’s strategy. Mission Health implemented a multi-pronged, system-level program to reduce hassles and amplify joys in daily work.

Introducing the Caring Greatly Podcast

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 17:54:03 -0400

Caring Greatly

Self-regulation: from individual skill to system-wide strategy | Jennifer Luer, DNP, RN, CPPS, CPHQ

Finding safety in the body: Trauma resilience support for care team members – Marie Nutter, BSN, RN, CNOR

The Emotional PPE Project: Improving care team members’ access to mental and emotional health resources – Daniel Saddawi-Konefka, MD, MBA

Getting rid of stupid stuff (GROSS) at scale – Jennifer Bissram, MS, MBA, and Emily Kertcher, PhD, OTR/L

Physician-led workplace violence prevention and response – Jason Stopyra, MD, MS

Leading across the three pillars of care team safety – Deborah Visconi, MHA

Safety and wellbeing transformation through the Workplace Change Collaborative – Lauren Muñoz, PhD, RN, FNP-BC

Illness does not equal impairment: Why care team members deserve a supportive path back to practice – Chris Bundy, MD, MPH

Protecting capacity to learn as a focus of wellbeing – Carlton Abner, DNP, RN, NBC-HWC

Human-centered leadership: Reflections from a quality leader – Shannon Connor Phillips, MD, MPH

Workplace violence prevention and recovery in the emergency department: A nurse’s perspective – Sarah-Marie Baumgartner, RN

Six actions to break down barriers and be ALL IN for mental health care

Preventing suicide among clinicians starts with understanding with Amanda Choflet, DNP

The Pitt and the truth about care team member safety and wellbeing – Mel Herbert, MD, FACEP

Validated measurement tool assesses care team wellbeing through a system lens - K. Elliott Higgins III, MD

How authentic leadership fosters psychological safety, dignity and inclusion – Jeremy Segall, MA, RDT, LCAT, FPCC

Recovery techniques to turn trauma into growth – Terri Bogue, RN, MSN

How systems and leaders can build and support a healthy nursing workforce – Pam Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

A nurse-security liaison supports safer healthcare environments – Mark Allred, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CHSO

Trauma-informed leadership as a foundation of care team safety and wellbeing – Sadie Elisseou, MD

Nursing engagement in technology design and implementation is essential to safety and wellbeing – Molly K. McCarthy, MBA, BSN, RN-NI

Strategies to support and retain women physicians – Diane W. Shannon, MD, MPH, PCC

Lessons from palliative care help leaders address team member suffering to support their wellbeing – Jennifer K. Clark, MD

Psychological first aid as a remedy to reduce mental health stigma – Christina Watlington, PhD and Christine McGuire, MSc

Culture and process change to support team member safety and wellbeing – Linda McHugh, MT, MBA, and Tria Deibert, MA

Making team member wellbeing a top strategic priority – Bryan Batson, MD

Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion at the systemic, institutional and individual levels – Daniele Ölveczky, MD

Security personnel as an extension of the care team – Todd Miller

Diversifying the field of anesthesiology – Wallena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAAN

Equipping frontline leaders to support team member wellbeing – L. Casey Chosewood, MD

How science and stories support wellbeing transformation – Nadia Charguia, MD

A neurosurgeon’s view of compassion in action – Jody Stern, MD

The Impact Wellbeing™ Guide – John Howard, MD, and Stefanie Simmons, MD

The Power of Connected Leadership Jennifer Clark, MD

Supporting nurse wellbeing across the career continuum – Robin Geiger

Downregulating the Nervous System as a Pathway to Wellbeing – Steve Forti

Evidence-based Wellbeing Practices – J. Bryan Sexton

Minimizing Cognitive Overload to Support Team Member Safety and Wellbeing - Elizabeth Harry, MD

The Transparency Conundrum with Danielle Ofri, MD

The Mind-Heart Connection with Jonathan Fisher, MD

Creating an Ethical Practice Environment with Dr. Cynda Hylton Rushton

Leading for Wellbeing and Resilience with Paul DeChant, MD

Eliminate Intrusive Questions in Licensure and Credentialing to Reduce Mental Health Stigma - Corey Feist, JD, MBA

Fundamental Changes to Work Structure as an Antidote to Burnout - Lisa Bukovac, DO

Managing the Polarity of Changing the System Versus Personal Resilience - Cynda Hylton Rushton, PhD

Linking Leader and Team Member Well-Being - Rosanne Raso, DNP, RN

Trust as the Foundation for Safety and Well-being - Mike Woodruff, MD

The 2022 Healthcare Workforce Rescue Package - Heather Farley, MD & Tina Shah, MD

Leading the Evolving Healthcare Workforce - Rose O. Sherman, Ed.D, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Evidence-Based Care Transformation for Clinical Resilience - Chris DeRienzo, MD, MPP

The Evidence for Team Member Safety and Well-Being - Kedar Mate, MD

Tapping Into the Wisdom and Purpose of Retired Physicians - Mike Rizzo, MD

The Power of Connection to Drive Well-Being - Kathryn Cziraky, MD

Supporting Nurses Through the Trauma of COVID-19 - Diane Solomon, PhD, PMHNP-BC

Improving Quality of Life for Cancer Survivors - Syril Pettit, DrPH, MEM

Streamlining EHR Work to Improve Clinician Well-Being – Annie Ideker, MD

Compassion as a Pathway to Well-being - Yotam Heineberg, PsyD

Integrating Well-being into Daily Work - Jeremy Segall, MA, RDT, LCAT

Nurse Well-Being Hinges on Improving the Work - Rhonda Collins, RN, DNP, FAAN

Lessons from Family Experience During the Pandemic - Janet Smith-Hill, RN, MSN, SPHR

Solving the Unsolvable in Healthcare - Megan Ranney, MD, MPH

The Power of Support: #MedGradWishList - Farrah-Amoy Fullerton, MD

Caring Conversations at End of Life and Always

The Value of Diversity, Inclusion, and Health Equity - Duane Elliott Reynolds, MHA

COVID-19 and Humanity in the Emergency Department - Justin Bright, MD, CPXP

The Burden and Joy of Caregiving During the Pandemic - Alex Drane

Promoting Team Member Safety and Connection - Margaret Dimond, PhD

What “Experience” Means in COVID-19 Times - Jill Slominksi, MD

Team Member Well-Being in the Era of COVID-19 - Thomas E. Jenike, MD

The Value of Human-Centered Design in Healthcare - Nick Dawson, MHA

Unleashing Innovation With a Focus on Humanity - Thomas Howell, MD, MS

The Physician’s Perspective on Expanded Virtual Care - Aram Alexanian, MD

Diversity and Equity as Part of Mainstream Quality - Louis H. Hart III, M.D.

Shifting the Nexus of Care - Patrick Kneeland, MD

Creating Trust Through Communication During COVID-19 - Anne Diamond, JD

How Racism Shapes Trust in Healthcare - Jeri Hill, PhD

The Inside-Out Perspective on COVID-19 - Bryan Mills

The Power of Peer Support for Care Team Members During COVID-19 - Jo Shapiro, MD

COVID-19 and Racial Equity in Healthcare - James Burroughs, JD

Diversifying the field of anesthesiology – Wallena Gould, EdD, CRNA, FAAN