The University of Kentucky College of Medicine and UK HealthCare have earned Gold recognition from the American Medical Association's Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program, the organization's highest distinction for healthcare systems working to improve physician well-being.
The recognition marks a significant advancement from 2024, when the College of Medicine earned Bronze recognition, and reflects years of work to strengthen leadership, workplace culture and organizational support across the institution.
During this recognition period, UK was one of just 21 organizations nationwide to earn Gold status and the only medical school in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) to receive the Gold designation.
"We are honored to receive this recognition from the AMA," said Dean Chipper Griffith, M.D. "This achievement reflects the ongoing commitment of faculty, staff and leaders across our college and UK HealthCare who understand that supporting the well-being of our people is essential to fulfilling our mission of caring for the Commonwealth."
The AMA's Joy in Medicine™ Health Recognition Program recognizes organizations that demonstrate a commitment to improving professional fulfillment, reducing burnout and creating supportive workplace environments for physicians and APPs.
Gold recognition acknowledges institutions that have implemented comprehensive strategies focused on leadership, teamwork, organizational culture, workplace efficiency and provider support. At UK, this included Epic optimization initiatives to improve the practice environment.
“This recognition demonstrates the power of bringing clinical expertise, informatics, analytics and technology together,” said Romil Chadha, M.D., professor of medicine and chief medical information officer at UK HealthCare. “Our IT professionals, analysts, informaticists, ACMIOs, IT medical directors, and partners have worked relentlessly to reduce friction, improve clinical workflows and give clinicians more time to focus on patients. I am extremely proud of this team and deeply grateful for everything they did to make this recognition possible.”
From recognition to transformation
For the UK College of Medicine's Office for Organizational Well-Being (OWB), the Gold designation represents an evolution in how the institution approaches this work.
For the last four years, OWB has partnered with departments, leaders and teams across the enterprise to advance initiatives that strengthen community, encourage collaboration and promote professional fulfillment. Since receiving Joy in Medicine Bronze recognition from the AMA in 2024, the college has continued to expand efforts to strengthen organizational culture.
Much of this work has focused on improving the conditions that shape the daily experience of learning and working in academic medicine. Through initiatives such as the Human-Centered Leadership Program, executive and group coaching for leaders, organizational assessments, department enhancement projects and psychological safety efforts, OWB has worked alongside teams to identify challenges, strengthen culture and create environments where people feel supported, heard and connected.
"When many people think about well-being, they think about individual programs or personal resilience," said Lisa Williams, associate dean for organizational well-being. "What we've learned is that culture, leadership and connection have a profound impact on how people experience their work every day. This recognition reflects the commitment of leaders and teams across our institution to creating environments where people can thrive."
While the AMA recognition focuses specifically on physician and APP well-being, many of the initiatives supporting the designation have had a broader impact across the College of Medicine community.
The OWB has begun expanding its work beyond clinical settings to better understand the experiences of researchers and basic science faculty at the college. They established a collaborative network of well-being leaders across SEC medical schools to share knowledge and best practices with our peer institutions and, through research and scholarship, contribute to a growing understanding of how workplace culture and organizational systems influence well-being across academic medicine.
The OWB also supports the staff well-being committee, which brings staff together to elevate their voices, strengthen connection and advance a culture where employees feel supported in their well-being and professional fulfillment.
Together, these efforts help build a stronger academic medical environment and strengthen the college's ability to care for patients, educate future health professionals and improve the health of Kentucky. By investing in our people and partners, the College of Medicine is strengthening the culture that shapes how we learn, work and care for others.
Looking ahead
While leaders are proud of the progress represented by Gold-level recognition, they view the designation as an important milestone rather than a destination. Organizational well-being requires continuous assessment, collaboration and a willingness to adapt as the needs of the college continue to evolve.
UK HealthCare's commitment to becoming a high-reliability organization (HRO) calls on all of us to continuously improve how we work, strengthen our culture and create an environment where people feel supported to deliver exceptional care. "High reliability is not just an organizational goal. It's a clinical imperative," said Christopher DeSimone, M.D., executive chief medical officer of UK HealthCare. "By reducing variation, strengthening teamwork and continuously learning from our experiences, we can provide better care for our patients. This recognition demonstrates the important progress our teams are making across UK HealthCare."
The College of Medicine plans to build on its progress by continuing to evaluate workplace experiences, strengthen leadership development opportunities, foster collaboration across teams and identify opportunities to improve the systems and structures that shape professional fulfillment. These efforts reflect a growing understanding that well-being is not a standalone initiative, but an essential component of a healthy, high-performing academic medical center.
"Gold recognition affirms the progress we've made, but it also reminds us that this work is ongoing," said Williams. "Our focus remains on continuous improvement and creating an environment where people feel valued, connected and empowered to do their best work."
Click here to view the full list of recognized organizations.