Maureen Leffler, DO, chief well-being officer of Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare, has been in her new role for about a month, but she is already making progress in addressing workforce challenges and improving employee well-being.
Becker’s connected with Dr. Leffler to discuss her vision, innovative strategies, and focus on reducing workforce burdens through systemwide collaboration, aiming to create a more efficient and supportive environment for healthcare employees.
Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: What innovative approaches or initiatives do you plan to implement to enhance workforce well-being and retention amid the ongoing challenges in healthcare recruitment and staffing?
Dr. Maureen Leffler: In this role, I aim to enhance the outstanding work of the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing team at ChristianaCare. My focus will be on strategically partnering with both clinical and non-clinical leaders to address work burdens and system inefficiencies. Our goal is to act as thought partners and key stakeholders for various teams, aligning with their efforts to improve operational efficiencies, quality, safety, and patient experience.
These initiatives also significantly impact caregiver well-being, and we can help elevate this perspective in our work and outcome metrics. I believe it would be both innovative and impactful to integrate metrics that reflect the healthcare worker experience as we continue to navigate through challenging times. This will require a focused approach to collaborate with teams, units, and departments on specific projects. Additionally, we plan to launch at least one organization-wide campaign centered on de-implementation to reduce work burdens.
Q: How is ChristianaCare addressing burnout and fostering a culture of resilience and well-being among healthcare professionals?
ML: The Center for WorkLife Wellbeing at ChristianaCare has a well-established Care for the Caregiver Peer Support Program that offers exceptional peer support to all caregivers. This peer program has received over 500 referrals so far this year. One source of referrals is through our CANDOR process, a key partner in identifying and providing support to caregivers in the wake of unexpected patient harm events.
Additionally, we help develop Compass groups, provide psychological first-aid training for all caregivers, and create oasis rooms. The CWW team members also lead mindfulness sessions, conduct well-being rounds, and are often invited by leaders across all service lines to present on a wide array of wellbeing topics. Trainees appreciate the dedicated support of a resident well-being specialist.
Q: In what ways do you plan to leverage technology to support employee well-being, streamline operational challenges and enhance overall workforce engagement?
ML: Our digital transformation strategy is centered on three main pillars: simplified access, care model redesign, and automation and artificial intelligence. By leveraging technology to enhance both accessibility and efficiency, we aim to improve workforce well-being by allowing staff to work at the top of their licenses and by reducing administrative burdens and cognitive load. The CWW team will collaborate with medical informatics leadership to manage changes associated with technological advancements and to assess the impact of new technology on caregivers' work experiences.
Q: How do you plan to align your strategies for workforce well-being to address the rapidly changing demands and pressures of the healthcare industry?
ML: Any strategic approach designed to respond to the evolving demands and pressures of the healthcare industry is closely linked to the well-being of the workforce, for better or worse. ChristianaCare is fully committed to integrating caregiver well-being into everything we do.
Enabling every caregiver to thrive is one of our foundational strategic pillars. We will support ongoing initiatives within the organization to address current challenges, bringing expertise in healthcare worker well-being and helping to shape organizational strategies. Our aim is to connect the dots between all our activities and their impact on our caregivers, highlighting this essential aspect as we collectively work to fulfill our mission of caring for all people.