Burnout, Mental Health Top Agenda at Joy and Wholeness Summit

There’s a reason it’s called the Joy and Wholeness Summit. The annual conference that brings together clinicians of various specialties and physician wellness advocates from across the U.S. has as its goal improving the overall well-being and quality of life for physicians. 

For years, burnout, depression, and various mental health issues have become more prevalent among health-care professionals. The ongoing pandemic has only exacerbated those concerns. Medscape’s Physician Burnout and Depression Report 2022 reveals that 47 percent of physicians say they are burned out, up from 42 percent last year.

While many organizations and experts are working to develop and deploy resources and programs geared toward preventing and mitigating burnout, there is more work to be done. For the Coalition for Physician Well-Being, in particular, this was top of mind at the recent gathering in Denver, Colorado, United States. Conferences like the Joy and Wellness Summit give those in attendance a chance to connect, collaborate, and share best practices.

“This is a critical time in the health-care industry, and the conference was a great venue for like-minded, solution-focused advocates to convene,” Ted Hamilton, chief mission integration officer for AdventHealth and board chair for the Coalition for Physician Well-Being, said. “I am thankful for the contributions of our speakers and attendees, and I believe many came away inspired and reenergized to continue this important work that will ultimately foster healthier, happier physicians.”

Attendees representing dozens of organizations heard insights from thought leaders and leading experts, including Tait Shanafelt and Al’ai Alvarez of Stanford University; Omayra Mansfield of AdventHealth; and coach/consultant Paul DeChant, as part of an agenda that covered important topics such as mental health, issues impacting women physicians, physician leadership, and graduate medical education.

“The conference was a wonderful opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about caring for physicians and clinical providers. There is a lot of work to do in this space, so being able to learn from and with so many experts and physician-wellness advocates is truly invaluable,” Mansfield, chief medical officer for AdventHealth Apopka, Florida, said.

The Coalition for Physician Well-Being is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt association of dozens of health-care systems, hospitals, and professional organizations, represented by hundreds of individual members, whose goal is to learn together and build robust, sustainable programs to foster and promote physician well-being. AdventHealth is a founding sponsor of the coalition.

The original version of this story was posted in the AdventHealth Newsroom.