Share

    


In This Section

Home / Learn / Management & Operations / Oncology Team Resiliency

Oncology Team Resiliency

How To Build a Resilient Oncology Team

To help members of the cancer care team better manage stress and improve their overall well-being, ACCC 2021-22 President Krista Nelson—and several special guests—hosted a virtual Mindfulness Meditation series. Through meditation, we cultivate an awareness of the present moment and train the mind to better understand how and why we think and feel the way we do.
View Meditations

Results from Mini Z Burnout Survey

2019-mini-z-results-700x424

To gauge the level of burnout in the multidisciplinary cancer care team, ACCC surveyed its membership in 2019 using the clinically validated Mini Z survey developed by the American Medical Association. While only a small number of respondents (14.9%) report dissatisfaction with their current job, burnout and stress levels are significant.

Download Survey Infographic

 

Cancer Buzz Podcast

  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 74: The Business Case for Hiring Oncology Social Workers
    Jan 18, 2022

    Hear from ACCC 2021-2022 President, Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, as she talks about two new resources (a business case brief for hiring and a benchmarking survey) coming from ACCC that demonstrate the value oncology social workers play in cancer care.

  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 71: Leading with Gratitude
    Nov 23, 2021

    In this special podcast episode, we talk with oncology social worker and ACCC President Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, about finding opportunities to practice gratitude each day for colleagues and patients.   

  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 68: Supportive Care in Radiation Oncology
    Sep 21, 2021
    Early in the pandemic, members of the Stanford Health Care Radiation Oncology Department created an internal podcast for their department to creatively address the need for connections among onsite and remote staff, acknowledge the emotional and psychological toll of caring for patients during this challenging time, and support the well-being and mental health for oncology staff.
  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 67: Coping with Pandemic Grief
    Sep 14, 2021
    In this special podcast episode, we talk with oncology social worker and ACCC President Krista Nelson, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW, about the overwhelming grief of the pandemic and its toll on cancer care professionals.  
  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 64: A Summer of Disconnect for Cancer Professionals
    Jul 20, 2021
    In this episode, we focus on the mental and emotional toll that COVID-19 continues to have on cancer care professionals—while much of the public experiences a “summer of joy” due to rising vaccinations.
  • [MINI-PODCAST] Ep 14: COVID-19 Self-Care
    Mar 31, 2020

    Krista Nelson, ACCC President 2021-22, shares self-care resources for cancer team members during the COVID-19 outbreak and guides us through a brief mindfulness exercise.

  • [PODCAST] Ep 02: Fostering Cancer Care Team Resiliency & Well-Being
    Jul 31, 2019
    Learn how organizations like Vidant Health and The Outer Banks Hospital are creating a healthier, more rewarding workplace by making employee wellness a strategic priority.

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

Culture, Resiliency, & Work: Deep Dive Workshop Recap


April 08, 2019
Employee surrounded by paperwork

Although nearly three-fourths of respondents to a 2019 ACCC survey of its membership reported "overall satisfaction" with their current position, nearly 59 percent said they either "agree" or "strongly agree" with the statement: “I feel a great deal of stress because of my job.” Fifty-six percent ranked the atmosphere in their primary work area as a “4” or “5” on a scale of 1 to 5, in which 1 is “calm” and 5 is “hectic, chaotic.” Perhaps most concerning, 41 percent described their workplace as “unreasonably busy,” and 33 percent said they are “definitely burning out.”

With these responses in mind, Linda D. Bosserman, MD, Assistant Clinical Professor at City of Hope in Duarte, California, and Kathleen LaRaia, MS, Executive Director of Oncology Services at Munson Healthcare in Traverse City, Michigan, offered some strategies to oncology leaders for addressing workplace burnout. During a workshop at the recent ACCC 45th Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit, Dr. Bosserman and Ms. LaRaia described some of the reasons behind the rise in burnout among members of the cancer care team and shared a some tactics to help restore workplace resilience.

Staff burnout can take a significant toll on patient care and clinician well-being. In her March 22 presentation, Dr. Bosserman described a recent American Medical Association report that found that with each percentage point increase in physician burnout, the likelihood that physicians will report a medical error increases 3 percent to 10 percent. On a personal level, physician burnout correlates with higher rates of work dissatisfaction, divorce, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and even suicide.

Dr. Bosserman and LaRaia say the main drivers of burnout in today’s cancer care environment stem from five key causes:

  • Excessively high workloads caused by high volumes of data entry, documentation, and patient visits
  • Workplace inefficiencies caused by poor processes, heavy patient volume, and delays in obtaining authorization for patient therapies
  • Loss of meaning in work resulting from more time spent on data entry and less time spent with patients and colleagues
  • Social isolation in the workplace due to siloed eletronic healthcare record (EHR) entry and paperwork
  • Pressure to prioritize corporate values over personal values

To address the trends in healthcare delivery that are dragging down employee morale, Dr. Bosserman said City of Hope gave its staff members surveys that asked them to identify their specific stressors and suggest ways to ameliorate them. In a 2018 survey, 73 percent of 92 respondents reported symptoms of burnout. Respondents said that significantly contributing to their burnout was the amount of time they spent documenting their work in their EHR. Seventy-four percent said their proficiency in using their EHR was marginal to poor, and 47 percent said they spend moderately high to excessive amounts of time entering data into their EHR while they are at home. Accordingly, the top two strategies survey respondents identified to reduce their stress levels were improving workplace efficiencies within their teams and reducing the clerical burden of EHRs.

City of Hope responded to these staff concerns by addressing inefficient workflows and processes and providing additional EHR training. Although these remedies adopted a multi-pronged approach to decrease and streamline workloads, City of Hope found that even small changes could make a big difference. A faster, seven-second log-in to the EHR system saved an estimated 9,100 provider hours per year. A transition to team-based care and a medical scribe pilot program are currently underway at City of Hope to further address the inefficiencies staff members identified in the survey.

After presenting, Dr. Bosserman and LaRaia invited workshop participants to identify what their organizations should stop doing, start doing, do less of, and do more of to address workplace stress and burnout. Among the responses were:

  • Stop: gossiping, implementing fixes before a problem is understood, scheduling meetings without a clear agenda
  • Start: giving permission for self-care, attending professional gatherings, working as a team, measuring burnout regularly, learning to use the EHR more efficiently
  • Do less: scheduling meetings, answering email at night, spending excessive time on the EHR, working on weekends
  • Do more: mentoring younger staff and clinicians, building relationships across departments, socializing with staff, developing team-based processes and data-entry.
The drivers of burnout in healthcare are multi-faceted. While there is no simple fix, as City of Hope learned by asking, listening, and taking action, even small changes can turn down the heat.
____________________________________________ 

If your cancer program or practice has an innovative program that addresses wellness and resiliency in the workplace, we want to hear from you. Email mmarino@accc-cancer.org to share your story.

From Oncology Issues

Building a Resilient Oncology Team: Issues and Solutions

Burnout is on the rise as oncology becomes increasingly complex with new treatment options, growing financial toxicity, an aging patient population, and an increasingly burdensome healthcare system. It has received much media attention, with some calling it an epidemic.

Thomas A. Gallo, MS, MDA, ACCC President, selected his 2018–2019 president’s theme: Reflect, Renew, Reignite: Creating a Resilient Oncology Team in Your Community, in order to shed light on the pain points that frustrate physicians, nurses, social workers, administrators, pharmacists, and all of the other professionals who collaborate to provide the highest level of patient care.

The ACCC 35th National Oncology Conference, October 17 – 19, in Phoenix, AZ, featured stories and strategies for fostering resilience and a healthcare culture that mitigates burnout among all members of the cancer care team. Three featured speakers inspired while providing practical strategies to help increase engagement, transform your work culture, and embrace experimentation. 

6 essential standards for a healthy work environment

ACCC is committed to identifying shared strategies and solutions to help combat the burnout and frustration that many of its members experience. This Building a Resilient Oncology Team: Issues and Solutions infographic details key findings on clinician burnout and a bevy of solutions to help you mitigate stress and bring the joy back to your workplace. 
Download as PDF
Or click each thumbnail below to view full size version:

Resilient Oncology Team Page 1Page 1
Resilient Oncology Team Page 2Page 2