The MSV Foundation is dedicated to developing and managing programs that support physicians, residents, PAs, and medical students so they can focus on what they love: caring for patients and communities.
SafeHaven™ is dedicated to ensuring clinicians can get the support they need for career fatigue and burnout.
Hear from SafeHaven™ advocate Dr. Gregg Shivers on why he thinks this program is so important, and why we must support its growth and development:
Why do you think SafeHaven™ is a necessary program?
Why do you think SafeHaven™ is a necessary program?
SafeHaven™ has been developed to support physician and other provider well-being. Our well-being is essential to promote joy in work, fulfill our professional and personal goals, and achieve best outcomes for the patients we serve.
The environment in which we practice, exposes us to enormous pressures, placing physicians and other clinicians at high risk of burnout. Burnout is largely due to systems and external not individual factors, such as time pressures, a chaotic work environment, low sense of control, burdens of EHRs, and personal and family responsibilities. We must first recognize how we are being affected by the stresses of clinical practice, and identify strategies that will be most beneficial to us.
That’s where SafeHaven™ comes in. The resources help providers recognize burnout and understand how it is affecting their practice, patients, family and health and well-being. SafeHaven™ provides an extensive suite of services including self-assessment tools, WorkLife concierge services, professional coaching, and in-the-moment support counseling to help physicians and clinicians strategize how to address burnout and achieve joy in work and overall well-being. These confidential support services have been so helpful to me and my family as I have worked on reducing the stresses of my professional life achieving a healthier work life balance.
What do you hope to see for the future of the SafeHaven™ Program?
The MSV recognizes that the focus on the individual managing their burnout needs to shift to a systems approach to reduce the root causes. SafeHaven™ in partnership with VHHA and Virginia healthcare systems is advocating for culture change, including healthcare reform, reducing time pressures, inefficiencies, and improving EHR and clinical workflows. Organizational support for practitioner well-being means a true recognition of the causes of burnout and implementation of effective interventions.
Additionally, I hope that SafeHaven raises awareness among practitioners and reduces the reluctance to reach out for help. The MSV successfully lobbied for legislation that protects clinicians from fear of undue repercussions to their medical license. This is a monumental change that should promote accessing well-being resources, leading to healthier and happier healthcare workers.
Why is it important to support this program?
What better way to advocate for our patients, our clinical teams and ourselves than to promote well-being and work to raise awareness of the causes and implications of burnout and support effective solutions?
VMAP is a statewide initiative that helps healthcare providers take better care of children and adolescents with mental health conditions through provider education and increasing access to child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and care navigators.
The MSV Foundation programs and opportunities are designed to help physicians increase their positive impact and influence. Enhance your leadership skills, interprofessional collaboration, and professional advocacy with programs like SYNC and the Physician Leadership Institute.
