Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments
Purpose: Burnout is prevalent in radiation oncology (RO), and an increased focus on promoting physician wellness and formalizing wellness-directed efforts has transpired in recent years. We aimed to characterize current wellness leadership positions and efforts within academic RO departments. Method...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109424002549 |
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| author | Sara Beltrán Ponce, MD Crystal Seldon Taswell, MD Idalid Franco, MD, MPH Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Tracy Kelly, MD Leah Katz, MD, MPH |
| author_facet | Sara Beltrán Ponce, MD Crystal Seldon Taswell, MD Idalid Franco, MD, MPH Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Tracy Kelly, MD Leah Katz, MD, MPH |
| author_sort | Sara Beltrán Ponce, MD |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: Burnout is prevalent in radiation oncology (RO), and an increased focus on promoting physician wellness and formalizing wellness-directed efforts has transpired in recent years. We aimed to characterize current wellness leadership positions and efforts within academic RO departments. Methods and Materials: Academic RO department chairs were contacted to inquire whether they had a departmental wellness leader with a request for leader contact information, if applicable. Wellness leaders were invited to complete an anonymous survey in January and February 2023 using Qualtrics. Questions assessed leader demographic characteristics, role structure and resources, current initiatives, and impacts to date. Descriptive statistics and summaries of free-text responses are reported. Results: A total of 120 chairs were contacted. In total, 71 (59%) responded, with 43 (61%) having departmental wellness leaders, of which 17 (39.5%) responded, to the survey. A total of 70.6% were female, and 76.5% were physician faculty. Most respondents were early-career. The most common previously implemented initiatives included offering programming and education (33.3%) and improved access to mental health services (25%). The most common active initiatives include conducting studies to address root causes of burnout (41.7%), developing specific wellness goals (25%), performing a review of policies that encourage prolonged work hours (25%), and offering programming and education (25%). Challenges included limited bandwidth (66.7%), lack of funding (41.7%), and lack of departmental interest in organizing or attending events (33.3%). Leaders highlight the importance of a dedicated individual to tangibly implement changes and the unique opportunity of someone within RO to understand the specific challenges faced by those in our field. Conclusions: Wellness leadership roles exist in many RO departments. As evidenced by a limited number of fully implemented initiatives, these roles are new and evolving. A focus on wellness has the potential to bring positive change to departments; however, the impact of newly established wellness roles on culture and balance requires longitudinal followup. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72cd0fd14400490dbfd407e670e368ff |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2452-1094 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-72cd0fd14400490dbfd407e670e368ff2025-01-06T04:08:52ZengElsevierAdvances in Radiation Oncology2452-10942025-02-01102101691Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology DepartmentsSara Beltrán Ponce, MD0Crystal Seldon Taswell, MD1Idalid Franco, MD, MPH2Malcolm D. Mattes, MD3Tracy Kelly, MD4Leah Katz, MD, MPH5Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Corresponding author: Sara Beltrán Ponce, MDDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FloridaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MassachusettsDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New JerseyDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WisconsinDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University School of Medicine, New York, New YorkPurpose: Burnout is prevalent in radiation oncology (RO), and an increased focus on promoting physician wellness and formalizing wellness-directed efforts has transpired in recent years. We aimed to characterize current wellness leadership positions and efforts within academic RO departments. Methods and Materials: Academic RO department chairs were contacted to inquire whether they had a departmental wellness leader with a request for leader contact information, if applicable. Wellness leaders were invited to complete an anonymous survey in January and February 2023 using Qualtrics. Questions assessed leader demographic characteristics, role structure and resources, current initiatives, and impacts to date. Descriptive statistics and summaries of free-text responses are reported. Results: A total of 120 chairs were contacted. In total, 71 (59%) responded, with 43 (61%) having departmental wellness leaders, of which 17 (39.5%) responded, to the survey. A total of 70.6% were female, and 76.5% were physician faculty. Most respondents were early-career. The most common previously implemented initiatives included offering programming and education (33.3%) and improved access to mental health services (25%). The most common active initiatives include conducting studies to address root causes of burnout (41.7%), developing specific wellness goals (25%), performing a review of policies that encourage prolonged work hours (25%), and offering programming and education (25%). Challenges included limited bandwidth (66.7%), lack of funding (41.7%), and lack of departmental interest in organizing or attending events (33.3%). Leaders highlight the importance of a dedicated individual to tangibly implement changes and the unique opportunity of someone within RO to understand the specific challenges faced by those in our field. Conclusions: Wellness leadership roles exist in many RO departments. As evidenced by a limited number of fully implemented initiatives, these roles are new and evolving. A focus on wellness has the potential to bring positive change to departments; however, the impact of newly established wellness roles on culture and balance requires longitudinal followup.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109424002549 |
| spellingShingle | Sara Beltrán Ponce, MD Crystal Seldon Taswell, MD Idalid Franco, MD, MPH Malcolm D. Mattes, MD Tracy Kelly, MD Leah Katz, MD, MPH Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments Advances in Radiation Oncology |
| title | Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments |
| title_full | Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments |
| title_short | Characterizing Wellness Initiatives in Academic Radiation Oncology Departments |
| title_sort | characterizing wellness initiatives in academic radiation oncology departments |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452109424002549 |
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