Massachusetts hospitals, physician organizations, and healthcare leaders affirm commitment to address clinician burnout

Contacts:

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to place tremendous strain on the resiliency and wellbeing of caregivers, some 120 Massachusetts hospitals, physician organizations, and healthcare leaders have signed on to an effort led by the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA) to continue their efforts in addressing clinician burnout. Leaders from each of the organizations listed below have committed to measuring a specific contributing factor to clinician burnout, and prioritizing improvements in that area as an institutional goal.

The MMS-MHA Joint Task Force on Physician Burnout (TFPB), in collaboration with local and national organizations, has closely analyzed the causes of physician and clinician burnout, and has identified and shared effective burnout reduction strategies. The task force continues to pinpoint opportunities to reduce administrative burden and other contributors to clinician burnout, and actively advocates for their adoption. Now more than ever, the TFPB members believe commitment at the highest levels of the healthcare organization is necessary to effectively reduce clinician burnout.

Each of the organizations listed below will select a measure of clinician wellness or burnout, measure its prevalence in their organization over time and include improving that measure as an institutional goal.

“Our caregivers are often called heroes, but they are still very much human and are subject to more stress and strain than ever before,” said Steve Walsh, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association. “Our hospitals and healthcare leaders are focused on ensuring that our most valuable resource – our clinicians – get the support they need. This latest commitment has the flexibility to allow our organizations to focus on specific areas tailored to their individual needs, which ultimately helps us address burnout on a united front.”

“The issue of clinician burnout was at an alarming level long before COVID-19. We are fortunate that healthcare leaders and systems came together to acknowledge and begin to address the issue,” said Dr. David A. Rosman, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society. “During the pandemic, members of the health team demonstrated their unwavering commitment to their patients, no matter the risk. It turned out that the risk was more than COVID-19 – working to the brink of exhaustion and despair, mental health has been pushed to and in some cases over the edge. This commitment to addressing burnout and deploying institutional improvements is a critical step in assuring that clinicians and all healthcare teams are able to deliver care to our patients through the pandemic and beyond.”

The TFPB has outlined some its findings in its publications Changing the EHR from a Liability to an Asset to Reduce Physician Burnout and A Crisis in Health Care: A Call to Action on Physician Burnout. The group’s work also aligns closely with the work of MHA’s Caring for the Caregiver Task Force, which focuses on challenges relating to worker safety, wellbeing, engagement, and development and deployment of staff. A recently released Caring for the Caregiver Task Force Report, which includes information about clinician burnout provided with MMS leadership, is available on MHA’s PatientCareLink site.

CEO/CMO Clinician Burnout Commitment Letter Signatories (as of 3/31/2021)

1. AdCare Hospital
2. Anna Jaques Hospital
3. Atrius Health
4. Baycare Health Partners, Inc.
5. BayRidge Hospital
6. Baystate Franklin Medical Center
7. Baystate Medical Center
8. Baystate Noble Hospital
9. Baystate Wing Hospital
10. Berkshire Health Systems
11. Beth Israel Deaconess Care Organization
12. Beth Israel Deaconess HealthCare
13. Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Milton
14. Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Needham
15. Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital – Plymouth
16. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
17. Beth Israel Lahey Health
18. Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network
19. Beverly and Addison Gilbert Hospitals
20. Boston Children’s Hospital
21. Boston Medical Center
22. Boston University Medical Group
23. Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital
24. Brigham and Women’s Hospital
25. Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization
26. Cambridge Health Alliance
27. Cambridge Health Alliance Physicians Organization
28. Cape Cod Healthcare ACO
29. Cape Cod Hospital
30. Circle Health
31. Coastal Medical
32. Congenial Healthcare
33. Cooley Dickinson Health Care
34. Cooley Dickinson Physician Hospital Organization
35. Core Physicians
36. Curahealth Stoughton
37. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
38. Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital
39. Emerson Hospital
40. Emerson Physician Hospital Organization
41. Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Braintree
42. Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts
43. Fairlawn Rehabilitation Hospital
44. Fairview Hospital
45. Falmouth Hospital
46. Family Medicine Associates of South Attleboro PC
47. Franciscan Children’s
48. Hallmark Health PHO
49. Harrington HealthCare System
50. Harrington Hospital PHO
51. Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians
52. Hebrew Rehabilitation Center
53. Hebrew SeniorLife
54. Heywood Healthcare (includes Heywood Hospital and Athol Hospital)
55. Heywood Physician Hospital Organization
56. Highland Healthcare Associates IPA
57. Lahey Clinical Performance Accountable Care Organization
58. Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
59. Lawrence General Hospital
60. Lowell General Hospital
61. Lowell General Physician Hospital Organization
62. Martha's Vineyard Hospital
63. Mass General Brigham Community Physicians
64. Mass General Brigham
65. Massachusetts Eye and Ear
66. Massachusetts General Hospital
67. Massachusetts General Hospital Physicians Organization
68. McLean Hospital
69. MelroseWakefield Healthcare
70. Mercy Medical Center
71. MetroWest Healthcare Alliance
72. MetroWest Medical Center
73. Milford Regional Medical Center
74. Milford Regional Physician Group
75. Mount Auburn Cambridge Independent Practice Association
76. Mount Auburn Hospital
77. Nantucket Cottage Hospital
78. New England Baptist Hospital
79. New England Quality Care Alliance
80. Newton-Wellesley Hospital
81. Newton-Wellesley Physician Hospital Organization
82. North Shore Medical Center
83. Northeast Hospital Corporation
84. Northeast Physician Hospital Organization
85. Partners Continuing Care
86. Partnership for Health in the Berkshires
87. Pediatric Physicians’ Organization At Children’s
88. Pentucket Medical Associates
89. Physician Performance LLC
90. Physicians' Organization At Children's Hospital
91. Reliant Medical Group
92. Saint Vincent Hospital
93. Shriners Hospitals for Children – Boston
94. Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield
95. Signature Healthcare
96. Signature Medical Group
97. South Shore Health
98. Southcoast Health
99. Southcoast Health Network
100. Southcoast Physicians Group
101. Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
102. Sturdy Memorial Hospital
103. Trinity Health Of New England
104. Tufts Medical Center
105. Tufts Children’s Hospital
106. Tufts Medical Center Community Care
107. Tufts Medical Center Physicians Organization
108. UMass Memorial Accountable Care Organization
109. UMass Memorial Health Care
110. UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital
111. UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital
112. UMass Memorial Medical Center
113. UMass Memorial Medical Group
114. VA Bedford Healthcare System
115. VA Boston Healthcare System
116. Vibra Hospital of Southeastern Massachusetts
117. Vibra Hospital of Western Massachusetts
118. Wellforce
119. Winchester Hospital
120. Winchester Physician Hospital Association

About the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS):
The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the statewide professional association for physicians and medical students, supporting 25,000 members. We are dedicated to educating and advocating for the physicians of Massachusetts and patients locally and nationally. A leadership voice in health care, the MMS contributes physician and patient perspectives to influence health-related legislation at the state and federal levels, works in support of public health, provides expert advice on physician practice management, and addresses issues of physician well-being. Under the auspices of the NEJM Group, the MMS extends our mission globally by advancing medical knowledge from research to patient care through the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM Catalyst, and the NEJM Journal Watch family of specialty publications, and through our education products for health care professionals: NEJM Knowledge+, NEJM Resident 360, and our accredited and comprehensive continuing medical education programs.

About the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association
The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA) serves as the unified voice for Massachusetts hospitals and healthcare providers. Founded in 1936, MHA represents over 100 hospitals, healthcare partners, and patients across the state. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, MHA’s mission is to improve the overall health of the commonwealth and support providers’ efforts to offer high-quality, affordable, and accessible care.