The Change Maker Campaign: A Bold New Initiative to Tackle Clinician Burnout

Hey everyone! Today, I want to share my thoughts on an exciting new initiative by the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) that could make a real difference in addressing the national clinician burnout crisis, which has been seriously exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, this crisis affects every corner of the healthcare system, and it’s high time we all come together to help our health workers and patients thrive.

In 2022, the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative released the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being, which provided actionable steps to support care providers. Now, the NAM is kicking off the next phase of their work with a new Change Maker Campaign to execute the National Plan's actions across the U.S.

The Change Maker Campaign is all about collaboration and participation. A group of Change Maker Accelerators will commit to the National Plan’s goals and measure their progress. Individuals and institutions can also join as Change Maker Nodes or Change Maker Champions, depending on how they want to contribute to the cause. This campaign offers technical support to Change Maker Accelerators while inspiring more people to participate over the next two years.

One notable aspect of the campaign is the establishment of a national awareness day later this year. This day will help raise visibility about health workforce well-being, improve understanding of the challenges faced by health workers, and involve institutions and the public in advancing the national movement to tackle this ongoing crisis.

The National Plan itself highlights several priority areas for improving well-being, such as creating positive work and learning environments, investing in research and strategies, supporting mental health, addressing policy barriers, engaging technology tools, institutionalizing well-being as a long-term value, and promoting diversity and inclusivity in the health workforce.

Overall, I think the Change Maker Campaign is a fantastic initiative to help address clinician burnout. It’s an opportunity for everyone – from institutions to individuals – to play a part in supporting the well-being of our health workforce. I'm excited to see how this campaign unfolds and the positive impact it will have on our healthcare system. If you want to learn more about the National Plan and the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative, check out nam.edu/NationalPlan and nam.edu/ClinicianWellBeing.

Photo by Kinga Howard