Improving physician well-being and reducing administrative burdens are ACP priorities

New Orleans, April 20, 2018 – At a press briefing today at Internal Medicine Meeting 2018, the American College of Physicians (ACP) provided an update about its Physician Well-being & Professional Satisfaction initiative and related Patients Before Paperwork initiative.

ACP President Dr. Jack Ende explained that ACP’s Physician Well-being & Professional Satisfaction initiative has four main components: promoting individual well-being, improving the practice and organizational environment for internists, fostering local communities of well-being, and advocating for systems changes.

ACP’s Board of Regents Chair Dr. Susan Thompson Hingle, who is also Chair of ACP’s Well-being Task Force, noted that ACP is developing resources to support the efficiency of practice, personal resilience, and establishing a culture of wellness to assist individuals, practices, organizations, and training programs to promote internist well-being and professional satisfaction. These resources are accessible to physicians on ACP’s website, acponline.org.

A key component of ACP’s initiative is establishing and training a dedicated team of ACP Well-being Champions to support their ACP chapter members, practices, and organizations in combating burnout. Dr. Cynthia Smith, ACP’s Vice President for Clinical Programs, explained that the Champions, who are ACP members passionate about ensuring the health and well-being of their colleagues, will strive to reach this goal through a variety of approaches tailored to the needs of local/regional chapters and their members.

It is estimated that nearly 80 percent of the causes of physician dissatisfaction and lack of well-being are systems issues. Shari Erickson, ACP’s Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Medical Practice, said that ACP has long identified reducing administrative complexities or burdens as a priority. ACP’s Patients Before Paperwork initiative seeks to reinvigorate the patient-physician relationship by reducing administrative complexities and eliminating unessential tasks that detract from patient care and contribute to physician burnout.

Physician well-being is a major theme at Internal Medicine Meeting 2018. Sessions include “Boost Your Well-being and Professional Satisfaction at Home and Work: Practical Skills for Positive Results;” “Heal Thyself: Improving Physician Wellness – Practical Applications of Wellness Techniques: Breathing, Meditation, and Laughter;” “Health Care as Collaboration: Using Patient – Physician Engagement to Bring Joy and Value to Your Patients, Your Practice, and You;” “Promoting Physician Well-being: Reducing the Burdens and Restoring the Purpose of Practice;” and “Targeting the 4th Aim: Improving Physician Wellness and Reducing Burnout in Practice and the Community.”

The meeting also features a Relaxation Station with a reflection wall where physician attendees can unwind, recharge devices, and take part in yoga or meditation.

About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 152,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contact: Steve Majewski, ACP Media Relations Manager, smajewski@acponline.org or 215-351-2514