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Joy in Work: a Systems-Based Approach

  • Physician Wellness and Burnout (J Hackworth and K Jerardi, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

Healthcare provider burnout profoundly affects not only individual providers, but also negatively impacts patient safety and outcomes. Traditional approaches to mitigate burnout focus on the individual healthcare provider rather than the environment and healthcare system. In 2017, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) published the White paper “IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work” recommending combating burnout by increasing joy in work.

Recent findings

The IHI White paper offers a framework for organizations to achieve joy in work at all organizational levels including tools to measure and assess success. Few other studies exist describing the relationship between the healthcare work environment and burnout but organizations utilizing systems-based changes to promote joy in work have achieved success in reducing and preventing burnout.

Summary

Burnout is common among healthcare providers and negatively impacts patient outcomes. Joy in work is imperative in creating not only satisfaction and engagement among healthcare providers, but in ensuring safe, high-quality care for patients. The IHI Framework for Improving Joy in Work offers a systems-based approach focusing on four crucial steps to achieve joy, safe care, and positive patient outcomes. Opportunities remain for healthcare organizations to share strategies and outcomes to improve joy in work by applying IHI’s framework.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Abigail Musial MD, Nancy Clemens MD, Katie A. Meier MD, Angela M. Statile MD, MEd & Christine M. White MD, MAT

  2. Department of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA

    Abigail Musial MD

  3. Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Abigail Musial MD, Nancy Clemens MD, Katie A. Meier MD, Angela M. Statile MD, MEd & Christine M. White MD, MAT

  4. Pediatric Residency Program, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA

    Katie A. Meier MD & Angela M. Statile MD, MEd

  5. Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA

    Vanessa A. Olbrecht MD, MBA

  6. Department of Patient Services, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, USA

    Betsy T. Gerrein DNP, APRN & Wendy Ungard DNP, RN, NEA-BC

  7. Behavioral Safety Team, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Michael Schweer MA LPCC

Authors
  1. Abigail Musial MD
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  2. Nancy Clemens MD
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  3. Katie A. Meier MD
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  4. Vanessa A. Olbrecht MD, MBA
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  5. Betsy T. Gerrein DNP, APRN
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  6. Wendy Ungard DNP, RN, NEA-BC
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  7. Michael Schweer MA LPCC
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  8. Angela M. Statile MD, MEd
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  9. Christine M. White MD, MAT
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abigail Musial MD.

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Conflict of Interest

Abigail Musial, Nancy Clemens, Katie A. Meier, Vanessa A. Olbrecht, Betsy T. Gerrein, Wendy Ungard, and Michael Schweer declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Angela M. Statile has received the following grant: Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) HIS-1306-3 00811.

Christine M. White is a faculty member at IHI and gets paid for lectures given on improving flow in hospitals.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Physician Wellness and Burnout

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Musial, A., Clemens, N., Meier, K.A. et al. Joy in Work: a Systems-Based Approach. Curr Treat Options Peds 5, 26–36 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40746-019-00148-5

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