The National Landscape on Wellness Culture and Well-Being Best Practices in Healthcare Systems and Academic Institutions: Results From the Fourth National Summit on Promoting Clinician Well-Being

Introduction: The health of our nation’s healthcare workforce continues to decline. A comprehensive, whole-system, evidence-based approach is key to a successful wellness initiative and is the foundation for culture change. Building a culture of wellness leads to better mental health outcomes, healthier lifestyle behaviors, higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction, improved patient satisfaction and employee retention, and a positive return (ROI) and value on investment (VOI). Methods: The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive, anonymous survey was to assess the organizational wellness culture of participants who attended the National Summit on Promoting Well-being and Resilience in Healthcare Professionals. A 21-item survey was distributed to attendees of the Summit. Results: Eighty-eight individuals responded to the survey (29% response rate). Cronbach’s alpha of the 21 items was 0.95. The majority of respondents were white, female, and from a healthcare system/hospital. Almost half were unaware if there was a wellness team at their organization. Over 50% of the survey items scored under the 2.5 mean, the lowest including addressing the determinants of health, using a scorecard and data management process, visual triggers at decisional points, offering meaningful incentives, and recognizing and rewarding leaders and employees for their wellness contributions. Items that scored the highest above the 2.5 mean include dedicated resources for wellness, building practices based on best evidence, and having a wellness leader. Conclusion: There is need and opportunity to create and sustain cultures of wellness in healthcare settings and systems. By doing so, organizations can improve population health, affect system operations, retain talent, increase productivity, and enhance quality outcomes of importance to stakeholders.