Taking a systems approach to promote posttraumatic growth: A position paper

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic inflicted collective trauma on healthcare workforces.
• Academic medical centers require a healthy and resilient workforce for sustained operations.
• There is a need for innovative strategies to address workforce well-being in healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a systems approach to infuse wellness into the culture of an academic medical center.
• To model collective recovery through a non-traditional virtual town hall.
• To foster a supportive environment for healthcare professionals experiencing pandemic-related stress.

Main Methods:

• A virtual town hall event was organized for collective recovery.
• Senior leaders, faculty, staff, and students shared personal experiences.
• Nearly 1000 attendees participated in the forum, fostering mutual support.

Main Results:

• The town hall successfully created a space for shared experiences and communal support.
• Post-event, the recording was widely viewed, and leadership messaging on wellness was amplified.
• Smaller-scale versions of the town hall exercise were subsequently implemented.

Conclusions:

• Prioritizing staff well-being at a system-wide level is crucial for academic medical centers facing challenges.
• This initiative demonstrated a successful model for collective recovery and cultural integration of wellness.
• The approach offers a replicable strategy for other institutions to support their workforce's mental health.