Physician Alliance Well-Being Case Study: Wellspan

As a community teaching hospital and Level 1 trauma center, WellSpan York Hospital provides care for highly complex patients in a region with substantial socioeconomic challenges. WellSpan York Hospital, part of WellSpan Health’s integrated regional health system, started to see an increase in the rate of retiring physicians and in the two year turnover for their younger physicians. A 2015 retreat, held to connect leadership with highly engaged clinical physicians, brought to light increased physician workplace stress due to staffing constraints, increasing burden of electronic health records, and other factors related to health care field changes.

WellSpan York Hospital was determined to reduce burnout and address drivers of stress from regulatory and financial changes in the health field. The hospital revamped its existing wellness committee and addressed top physician pain points to improve retention.