Mindfulness Meditation Practices to Reduce Burnout

Mindfulness meditation practices can reduce burnout, increase compassion among physicians. Mindfulness-based interventions may ease burnout, increase compassion and improve the patient-physician relationship, according to a presentation at Healing Healthcare: A Global Mindfulness Summit.

During their presentation, Diane Reibel, PhD, the co-founder of the Stress Reduction Program at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University, and Aleezé Sattar Moss, PhD, the associate director of the Jefferson Center for Mindfulness within the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, led two guided meditation practices that clinicians can adopt to build resilience and reduce stress and burnout. The three axioms of mindfulness are intention, attention and attitude, Reibel and Moss said. The intention is to be present; attention is placed on what is actually arising in the moment; and attitude should be nonjudgmental and one of curiosity, open to experiences and kindness, according to Reibel.

Overall, the interventions are fewer than 10 minutes each in duration. Clinicians can practice mindfulness anywhere, at any time and length, Reibel said.”

To read the full article: https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20220215/mindfulness-meditation-practices-can-reduce-burnout-increase-compassion-among-physicians

Written by: Maria Marabito

5 Tips for Connecting With Your Patients

“It is a tough time to be a doctor. With the stresses of the pandemic, the continued unfettered rise of insurance company BS, and so many medical groups being bought up that we often don’t even know who makes the decisions, the patient can sometimes be hidden in the equation.”

  • Be curious.
  • Do not overly focus on the EHR.
  • Consider teaching a medical student.
  • Be careful of word choice.
  • “Overexplain” the physical exam.

To read in detail Dr. Douglas S. Paauw’s article, click below:

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/968541?src=#vp_2

My Hopes for 2022

L. Allen Dobson Jr., MD, FAAFP, is a family physician and Editor-in-Chief of Medical Economics® who wrote the article below titled, “My Hopes for 2022”.

“I am hopeful that all our trusted physicians and other health care clinicians will rediscover their voice and connection to their patients. We have been sidelined too long and need to be the voice of truth and reason on subjects of health.

I am hopeful that we will begin to address our country’s mental health needs and recognize that mental health services are indeed key primary care services and belongs integrated in our primary care system.

I am hopeful that we will evaluate any improvements in outcomes that are promised by value- based contracting and will strive to simplify and standardize the rules and metrics of value-based care. And while we’re at it, let’s look at the impact of consolidation and venture capital on our health care system.

Finally, am I hopeful or just wishful? I am hopeful because I see in our new residents and young graduates a passion for service, energy and professionalism that will rise above the politics and business of medicine that often get in the way of true change. Here’s to 2022 being the year that we begin to make significant strides in improving the US health care system.”

To check out the full article on Medical Economics click the link below:

https://www.medicaleconomics.com/view/my-hopes-for-2022

Locum Tenens Provider Spotlight – Dianna, NP

Specialty: Surgery, Hospitalist
Home State: Michigan 
Practicing Locum Tenens Since 2020

Getting to Know Dianna:
Why did you first pursue locum tenens work?
Locum Tenens allows for an amenable work-life balance. Working seven on/ seven off mitigates burnout and allows for quality time with my family. Additionally, this schedule promotes continuity of care as my hospital patients have the same provider for a week’s span. This is satisfying to be present as my patients improve as well as to be in tune if they start to decline – I can react faster; this leads to improved outcomes.
Describe the most unique assignment you’ve worked.
As a provider that embraces holistic care of my patients, I found my most unique assignment involved working at two different sites in the same month – as a Neurovascular Surgery NP & as a Hospitalist. With the duplicity of roles, I was able to bring additional knowledge for treating stroke patients as a Hospitalist and treating Covid-19 and co-morbidities in stroke patients. As with most assignments, I bring forward additional knowledge gained as I advance in my career
What medical advancements would you like to see in the next 5 years?
We continue to move forward with communication-related to our patients’ medical histories. I would like to see this continue and advance to where patients’ medical histories in their entirety are available to the practitioner in real-time. Additionally, I would like to see the ACNP role continue to evolve to continue to work in conjunction with the ever-expanding role of the Physician promoting enhanced teamwork in all senses of the word!

Client feedback: Dianna is a breath of fresh air. Her patient care and bedside manner are excellent. We are grateful to have Dianna assist our department as a locum tenens provider.

To learn more about MD Staff Pointe click  About MDSP

Provider Page: Providers

Practice happier: Locum tenens as a remedy to burnout

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on physicians’ overall happiness. Medscape’s 2021 Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report found that before the pandemic 82% of doctors reported being somewhat happy or happy, but in 2020 that number dropped to only 48%. Even more alarming, Medscape’s Physician Burnout and Suicide Report found that 71% of physicians say burnout is moderately or severely impacting their lives.

Many physicians, however, have found a solution to address burnout: locum tenens. Here’s how locum tenens gave six physicians the control and flexibility they needed to balance their personal and professional lives.”

  • Dictating your own schedule
  • A focus on patient care, not bureaucracy
  • Using locums to enjoy life outside of work
  • Rediscovering your love of medicine
  • Finding the right work/life balance

To learn more, click the link below for the full article.

By: Jen Hunter
Source: https://locumstory.com/spotlight/physician-happiness-remedy-burnout/

House Passes Clinician Mental Health Bill

“Legislation to address the nation’s physician burnout crisis is one step closer to becoming law after passing in the House of Representatives Dec. 8. The House voted 392-36 to pass the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act. The bill is named after Lorna Breen, MD, who was chair of the emergency department at New York-Presbyterian Allen Hospital and treated countless COVID-19 patients during New York City’s first surge. Dr. Breen died by suicide in April 2020 at the age of 49.

The legislation would require research into healthcare workers’ mental wellness and provide grant funding for healthcare facilities to launch suicide prevention and peer-support programs, among other initiatives. The bill now heads back to the Senate, which unanimously passed the legislation in August, to vote again on a small change, according to NBC affiliate WSLS.”

Source: https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-physician-relationships/house-passes-clinician-mental-health-bill.html
By: Mackenzie Bean