A Blueprint for Organizational Strategies To Promote the Well-being of Health Care Professionals
Tait D. Shanafelt, Sherilyn Stolz, Jill Springer, Daniel J. Murphy, Bryan Bohman, Mickey Trockel
Abstract
SummaryOrganizational efforts to improve health care professionals' well-being should be guided by a carefully crafted strategy supported by appropriate tactics. Many organizations mistake a conceptual model or a collection of tactics for a strategy. Strategies should relate to enduring thematic approaches that will be pursued to make progress toward long-term goals, whereas tactics refer to specific initiatives or programs intended to advance a component of the strategy. Only after a strategy is developed can the optimal tactics to drive progress be determined and prioritized. A strategy to promote well-being must be tailored to meet the unique challenges, opportunities, and goals of each organization. Although customization is necessary, we believe several fundamental components can provide a blueprint for the well-being strategy of most health care organizations. The authors propose four such components: foundational programs, cultural transformation, rapid iterative experimentation, and sustainability. They also offer select insights on defining tactics and strategies.