The Association of Health-System Pharmacists plans to use the money to develop a Well-Being Ambassador Program that will raise awareness of burnout among pharmacists and support local strategies to foster well-being, particularly among those practicing in tribal, rural or other underserved areas.
“We are extremely honored to be selected by HRSA to lead this critical work as part of our longstanding commitment to advance well-being and resilience in the pharmacy and healthcare workforce,” Association of Health-System Pharmacists CEO Paul Abramowitz said in a statement.
The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers will implement customized programing at five clinics to address mental health and burnout issues and to help incorporate these efforts into everyday operations.
“As staffing shortages mount even higher across the health system, health centers have been hit the hardest. Resilience and wellness programs offer a critical recruitment and retention tool to attract and retain a strong and healthy workforce,” Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Kerin O’Toole wrote in an email.
A national Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Technical Assistance Center will also be set up at George Washington University through a $6 million grant. The center will provide assistance to the 45 grantees, and deliver lessons learned through the grant projects to the greater healthcare workforce, Johnson said.
Healthcare workers have reported staggering levels of burnout and stress throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. An American Medical Association survey found that 49% of nearly 21,000 workers surveyed experienced burnout between May and October 2020.
Many healthcare workers have left their jobs during the pandemic, and nearly half of respondents to a recent Doximity physician survey indicated they were thinking about leaving the field.