Oct. 3 event to address health workforce well-being

National Academy of Medicine collaborative hopes national plan will support providers, prevent burnout

The National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience will be publishing a National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being to help prevent health worker burnout on Oct. 3.

The collaborative was co-chaired by Victor Dzau, M.D., National Academy of Medicine president, and Vivek Murthy, M.D., U.S. Surgeon General. The plan incorporates six years of collective work among the National Academy of Medicine's network of 200 organizations - including the ADA - that are committed to reversing trends in burnout. The event will also share how the plan addresses the needs of the health workforce and share leaders' commitments to building momentum for a health workforce well-being movement.

"The pandemic has really helped to shine a light on mental health and burnout among health care professionals, including dentists and our teams," said Brett Kessler, D.D.S., ADA 14th District trustee, who represented the ADA in developing the national plan. "As dentists, taking care of our mental health allows us to best take care of others. I was honored to be a part of developing this important resource."

According to the National Academy of Medicine's website, the plan will also provide guidance and next steps for working with leaders in health care and public health, educational institutions for health professionals, policymakers, health IT companies, payers, regulators, associations, and others involved to cultivate a health system to support care providers and optimize their well-being.

The Oct. 3 launch event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon ET virtually and in person in Washington. To attend the free event, sign up on the launch page. For more information, visit NAM.edu/NationalPlan.

For more information on the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative, visit NAM.edu/CW or join the listserv to receive updates.

For dentists battling stress or burnout, the ADA Dentist Health and Wellness Program and state dentist well-being programs can help. ADA members can download the ADA State Well-Being Program Directory to find their contact information, and all calls or emails will be strictly confidential.

The ADA has also created a free resource sheet that offers some symptoms of distress. Download the fact sheet at ADA.org.