S2Ep10: Wellness Initiatives That Work

Organizational wellness is getting more attention , due in no small part to the increased stress brought on by a global pandemic.  But why do we only seem to think about wellness when we feel unwell? What does wellness look like for pathologists and laboratory professionals? And what responsibility do institutions and individuals have in making wellness a priority? On this episode of Inside the Lab, our hosts Dr. Lotte Mulder and Ms. Kelly Swails are joined by Dr. Alae Kawam, MD, Pathology Resident and soon-to-be Surgical Pathology Fellow at Northwell University, Dr. Katrina Krogh, MD, Surgical Pathologist specializing in Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology in private practice in Los Angeles, and Dr. Farres Obeidin, MD, Assistant Professor and Clinical Attending at Northwestern University and Bone and Soft Tissue Pathologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, to discuss organizational wellness. Our panelists describe the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of wellness, exploring how the term means different things to different people. They explain what initiatives institutions are using to combat rising rates of physician burnout and why they’ve fallen short, reflecting on how wellness policy informs institutional culture and vice versa. Listen in for insight on how wellness impacts the quality of work we do in the lab and learn how to advocate for your individual wellness at work.  Topics Covered · Defining ‘wellness’ in general and what it means to the laboratory workforce· The physical, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of wellness· How wellness policy informs institutional culture and vice versa· Sources of burnout in the laboratory and what institutions might do to help mitigate the stress that cause them · The initiatives institutions are using to combat rising rates of physician burnout (and why they’ve fallen short)· Why it’s crucial for leaders to support laboratory and other medical professionals when we reach our limits· How our wellness impacts the quality of work we do in the lab· How pathologists and lab professionals can advocate for our wellness in the workplace when it’s so individualized· How diversity, equity, and inclusion influences wellness at work· Our panelists’ insight on the benefit of a four-day workweek and other alternate scheduling models  Connect with ASCPASCPASCP on FacebookASCP on InstagramASCP on Twitter Connect with Dr. Kawam Dr. Kawam on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. KroghDr. Krogh on TwitterDr. Krogh on LinkedInConnect with Dr. ObeidinDr. Obeidin on Twitter Connect with Dr. Mulder & Ms. SwailsDr. Mulder on Twitter Ms. Swails on Twitter  Resources Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMAInside the Lab in the ASCP Store