Worker Well-Being Resources

Burnout is a longstanding national problem threatening clinician health, patient outcomes, and the health care system. Joint Commission researchers, in collaboration with experts from the AMA and Stanford Medicine, conducted a study to assess the current state of organizational efforts to assess and address clinician well-being in a national sample Joint Commission-accredited hospitals federally-qualified health centers. Although half of the organizations reported taking steps to improve clinician well-being, a minority are measuring clinician well-being, and few are taking a comprehensive approach or established a chief wellness officer position to advance clinician well-being as an organizational priority. While there are no accreditation requirements specific to this topic, we understand that many organizations struggle with knowing where to begin addressing this serious issue. To help organizations begin their journey to build a more resilient workforce, we curated resources and organized them into collections that target five key action steps.

Removing Barriers to Mental Health Care for
Clinicians and Health Care Staff

The Joint Commission firmly supports the Dr. Lorna Breen Act that promotes a culture where mental health care is seen as a strength. Studies indicate that fear of stigma and professional repercussions deter clinicians from seeking help, especially when disclosing mental health history for licensing and credentialing. We advocate for removing such barriers and policies that perpetuate stigma and fear among healthcare professionals seeking mental health services.