The University of Kentucky College of Medicine has earned bronze-level recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine™ health organization.
The prestigious AMA distinction is granted to organizations that meet the rigorous criteria of the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program and acknowledges the nation’s leaders in prioritizing proven efforts to enhance the well-being and professional fulfillment of physicians. The honor is valid for two years.
“We are honored to earn this recognition from the AMA as we work diligently to advance well-being across our college, health system, and University,” said Dean Chipper Griffith, MD, MSPH. “In partnership with UK HealthCare and our Office for Organizational Well-Being, our college will continue to support system-level efforts as well as expand similar initiatives throughout the college so that at UK, everyone in our college community feels seen, heard, and valued.”
Since the Office of Organizational Well-Being launched two years ago, they have made tremendous progress toward advancing the wellness and well-being of our UK College of Medicine community.
Several ongoing initiatives/projects from OWB are detailed below:
Department Enhancement Projects (DEP) is a 7-phase quality improvement initiative that brings front-line clinicians into root-cause analysis conversations and the creation of solutions that directly address the problem from the front-line clinicians' perspective. It is important to note that these projects are focused on addressing issues and creating solutions at the department or unit level. The locus of control must be within the department's domain, but OWB helps provide a structure to track and share system-level issues that arise.
Creation of the UK College of Medicine and UK HealthCare Organizational Well-Being Work Group and facilitation of system-level enhancement projects/organizational action plan – The OWB facilitated the gathering of leaders from the College of Medicine and UK HealthCare (UKHC) to discuss and address system-level issues that impact the well-being, burnout, and professional fulfillment. The newly formed workgroup is comprised of the executive triad, CMOs, and other UKHC leaders, as well as college leaders committed to leading improvement initiatives that support sustainable and positive culture change. The workgroup recently activated an organizational action plan based on the results of the AMA Organizational Biopsy Survey and department listening session. The 4 areas of focus include 1) Epic Optimization, 2) Operational Inefficiencies specific to surgical services, 3) RVU and DOE alignment, and 4) Enhancing leadership behaviors.
Enhancing leadership behaviors – Because the single biggest driver of professional satisfaction is the behavior of an individual’s immediate supervisor, the OWB designed/implemented projects specifically aimed at increasing the emotional intelligence and leadership acumen of leaders in the college. Examples include clinical chair ARC goals, Human Centered Leadership Program (formerly LAMP), and a robust coaching program. We partner with the Office for Faculty Affairs, Office of Medical Education, and college leadership to advise on and address professionalism and civility issues that arise and recommend/facilitate appropriate solutions.
The Well-Being Alliance was established to bolster support for a unified movement toward a culture of well-being. This Alliance is a coalition of passionate and dedicated leaders committed to advancing well-being. The Alliance serves as a platform for the exchange of innovative ideas and best practices among its members. A significant achievement of the Alliance is the creation of the extensive Well-Being Compendium of Best Practices, which meticulously details various units' strategies for enhancing well-being, provides insights into potential implementation costs, and includes contact information for further collaboration. The compendium is a crucial tool for disseminating successful practices and enabling others to replicate these proven successes across different settings.
Exploring well-being in basic sciences – Creating a strategy to better understand the drivers impacting the well-being, burnout, and professional fulfillment of those who work and learn in basic sciences. This includes a project in partnership with Stanford University and Tait Shanafelt, MD, and finalizing a survey similar to the organizational biopsy. OWB plans to form an advisory committee of basic science faculty, staff, and trainees to inform this work.
Staff Well-Being Survey – As a product of the College of Medicine staff well-being committee, a staff well-being survey was developed to examine the staff perspective as it relates to the work environment, community/belonging, and drivers of professional fulfillment. The survey yielded over a 40% response rate and data is currently being analyzed and will be shared broadly with college staff and leaders.
Arts in Academic Medicine – The OWB team facilitates individual wellness experiences through opportunities for connection and community building. Arts for Well-Being in Academic Medicine programming is curated to assist in the promotion of wellness and well-being for learners, faculty, and staff within the UK College of Medicine. A list of programming can be found here.