“In my later years of practice, I became increasingly convinced that a 'medicine for every disease' approach that did not address fundamental lifestyle choices was detrimental to patient health and costly for everyone. ” This is Tracy Lane, who recently co-founded the Delaplane Family Lifestyle Medicine Foundation at the University of Nevada, Reno with Thomas Walter Delaplane ’86 (geophysics) and Patrick Delaplane ’14, MD. These are the words of Delaplane 87, MD. Medicines to combat burnout among future healthcare providers.
Newly established foundation will support the mental and physical health of medical students by funding and providing educational programs and workshops focused on lifestyle modification and healthy living habits. It is intended to. The goal is to teach students preparing to enter the medical field practices that reduce burnout and encourage healthy lifestyle choices. These future healthcare providers may ultimately encourage future patients to adopt healthier lifestyles as well.
“If we could go back in time, we would have discovered lifestyle medicine earlier and prevented so many patients from suffering preventable diseases and cancers. Learning tools and practices that promote health is essential,” said Dr. Tracy Delaplane.
This donation could not come at a more pressing time. Various studies and research papers, including those from the New England Journal of Medicine and the National Academy of Medicine, indicate that the number of healthcare workers experiencing at least one symptom of burnout is increasing. Symptoms of burnout include emotional exhaustion, feelings of depersonalization, a decreased sense of personal accomplishment, and high levels of stress. Increased burnout among healthcare workers reduces the quality of patient care and increases the risk of medical errors.
“It is essential for physicians to learn the tools and practices that promote health for themselves and their patients.” – Dr. Tracy Delaplane.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated already alarming rates of burnout among healthcare providers. The onslaught of millions of sick patients in need of treatment has strained the medical industry, bringing it to the brink of collapse and causing many workers to leave the field.
“We aim to create a generation of physicians who are not only skilled clinicians, but role models for personal health and wellness,” Dr. Delaplane said. “If most chronic diseases are the direct result of poor diet, lack of physical activity, exposure to toxins, and isolation in the community, we need future generations of physicians to understand how life is for them and their patients. It is extremely important to emphasize the importance of habitual medicine.”
Lauren Schwartz, newly appointed Associate Dean for Institutional Health in the School of Medicine, will oversee the design and implementation of the new benefits program in the coming months. She plans to begin hosting listening sessions with medical students, residents, physicians, and staff to identify community needs prior to program rollout.
“We hope to use these programs to attract more alumni and community members who want to invest in and contribute to the well-being of health care workers from the medical school,” Schwartz said. said. “Failure to address the alarming rates of burnout experienced by health care workers poses a risk to the nation, especially during future public health crises.”
These developing programs aim to address burnout among clinicians, health care professionals, learners, and faculty with the goal of promoting institutional change that prioritizes professional enrichment and optimized patient care. used to deal with the current environment in which Once finalized and launched, the program will receive ongoing funding each year through donations.
“The most important goal of my role is to work with the medical school community to build benefits programs that improve work-life balance,” Schwartz said. “We aim to assemble a board of health advocates across all areas of concentration in the medical field. These programs will help healthcare professionals adopt healthier lifestyles and reduce stress and burnout. Strengthen workplace culture, efficiency, and personal resilience by helping to reduce risk and demonstrate to patients how these practices can ultimately promote recovery and improve health outcomes. can.”
