The American Medical Association (AMA) recognized Hartford HealthCare today for its dedication to ensuring joy, purpose and meaning for its physicians and care teams.

The Joy in Medicine Recognition Program is based on three levels of organizational achievement in prioritizing and investing in clinician well-being. Hartford HealthCare achieved Bronze level recognition this year, and is one of 28 organizations recognized nationwide at a collaborative meeting of the AMA and Canadian and British medical associations.

“This is a great achievement for Hartford HealthCare and we’re honored to be recognized for our commitment to improving the well-being of our workforce,” said Jennifer Ferrand, PsyD, HHC’s director of well-being.

To qualify for Bronze level recognition, Hartford HealthCare had to meet criteria in five of the following six domains:

  • Commitment. The system formalized a centralized well-being department with dedicated leadership and staff, as well as regional well-being committees.
  • Assessment. The well-being department conducted an organization-wide burnout assessment.
  • Efficiency of the Practice Environment. The team measured time spent on “work outside of work” through audits of the electronic medical record. There are plans to use data to inform improvement efforts.
  • Leadership. The system appointed a team to monitor and de-implement unnecessary administrative burdens.
  • Teamwork. The well-being department made plans to measure teamwork and support the implementation of team-based care models.
  • Support. The department developed and launched a peer support program to help clinicians deal with adverse events.

The Joy in Medicine program represents the AMA’s commitment to advancing the science of clinician burnout and empowering health systems to transform clinical practice so all healthcare workers and patients thrive.

Dr. Ferrand clarified that, while recognition of Hartford HealthCare’s accomplishments is impressive, much work remains to be done.

“We consider the Bronze recognition to be the starting point of our journey, not the end,” she said. “The Joy in Medicine program gives us a roadmap and benchmarks against which to measure our progress, and connects us to other organizations committed to the hard work of cultural transformation.”

Hartford HealthCare’s commitment to well-being is ongoing, and efforts this year will focus on improving the system of care, supporting the mental health of the workforce, and delivering resources and training to leaders, teams and individuals.