New Plan Takes on Burnout in Healthcare

October 20, 2022

Earlier this month, the National Academy of Medicine published its “National Plan for Health Workforce Well-being,” which calls for a collective movement to address burnout.  

The capacity and well-being of the U.S. health workforce has been under threat for years by an epidemic of burnout, and two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this systems issue. Now at least 40% of nurses, 20% of physicians, and more than 25% of state and local public health department employees are considering leaving their professions.  

The plan calls on multiple actors to work together to drive policy and systems change to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities – including healthcare and public health leaders, government, payers, industry, educators, and leaders in other sectors.  

A draft of the plan was made available for public feedback and received nearly 2,000 constructive comments, and to date the final plan has received endorsements from more than 30 organizations, including the MMA, representing the diverse organizational membership of the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative and the various actors needed to collectively advance the practical strategies laid out in the plan. 

The plan identifies a range of actions for the near-, medium-, and long-term to achieve seven priority areas for health workforce well-being, clearly naming associated goals and responsible actors. 

For more information on the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, visit the website.