Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) System Wellness White Paper: An Evaluation of Wellness from a Systems Perspective.

Abstract

Providers are charged with responsibility to maintain their own health and wellness [1,2]. Wellness or wellbeing is multifactorial and complex, but the construct lacks clarity [3]. Wellness can impact patient safety and it has significant financial implications. Both financial and healthcare industries have recognized this multifactorial issue, and have applied research and resources to the issue of employee wellness and wellbeing [4]. Thus, solutions to sustainable change must be multi-tiered and intentional [1,5].We reviewed the wellness literature with a focus on systems to provide a framework for consensus-building for a quality Acute Care Surgery system. Within this review we highlight several categories for consideration: 1) provider wellness 2) culture of safety, 3)learning health systems, and 4) organizational perspectives, Figure 1. Finally, we provide specific system recommendations for the Acute Care Surgery practice. We aim to support personal safety, longevity, and preserve our workforce by creating a system that works for its providers.