In This Story
As a leading expert in health care workforce resiliency and well-being, Debora Goldberg, associate professor in the Department of Health Administration and Policy, was appointed to two Virginia state-wide mental health initiatives: ALL IN: Virginia's Caregivers Initiative Steering Committee and the Clinician Retention and Well-Being Collaborative Committee of the Virginia Taskforce for Primary Care. Goldberg is currently leading Mason’s Health and Public Safety Workforce Resiliency Training Program, as part of a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) cooperative agreement.
“Estimates of burnout, stress, and anxiety among providers and other health care professionals skyrocketed during the COVID pandemic, which has led to shortages of health care providers and increased mental health conditions and substance use disorders. This was an existing issue that became worse during the pandemic as health care providers experienced increased exposure to traumatic events, such as the deaths of patients,” said Goldberg. “It is essential that the Virginia health care community come together to address the issue of clinician retention and well-being by identifying promising interventions, and committing to jointly supporting our clinicians and care teams as they carry out their important work.”
All IN: Caring for Virginia's Caregivers initiative seeks to help Virginia hospitals and health systems create work environments that make members feel valued and supported. The initiative is a collaboration between the Virginia Health and Hospital Association, the Medical Society of Virginia, the Virginia Nurses Association, and the ALL IN: Well-Being First for Healthcare Coalition.
The Clinician Retention and Well-Being Collaborative Committee of the Virginia Taskforce for Primary Care aims to improve the well-being and retention of the clinician members of Virginia's health care teams. The taskforce will address the distress caused by pandemic-related patient care with a focus on strengthening the support structures for both individuals and organizations.