Taking the Long View
I've spent this past week immersed in a week-long course with fellow Chief Wellness Officers, learning from the world's experts in physician wellness, and surrounded with like-minded people. This photograph above is of one of the gorgeous sunsets we experienced together this week.
It's been invigorating, overwhelming, motivating, exhausting, and inspiring – all at the same time.
And what is so overwhelming is the sheer scope of what we collectively are trying to accomplish in healthcare – systemic change where every organization values the well-being of its workforce as one of its central missions, and where the well-being of our physicians and healthcare workers are as important to us in healthcare as finance and safety.
Our instructors this week likened our healthcare wellness movement to that of the quality and safety movement. 20 years ago, few healthcare organizations had quality and safety officers. Today, every healthcare system does. 5 years ago, chief wellness officers didn't exist. Today, there are over 150 of us who have participated in this course over the last 5 years. 5 years ago, chief diversity officers were scarce. Today, they are quickly becoming the mainstay of many organizations.
So, while our progress individually in our organizations may feel so painfully slow, like pushing a large boulder up a mountain only to have it roll backward every few steps forward, we collectively are building momentum. And when we build momentum together, this is when culture change happens. Very slowly at first, then gathering speed, over time.
“Taking the long view” came up many times this past week. As was the overwhelming recognition that many of us feel we are doing God's work. It may feel like we are getting no where, but we are, in the larger scheme of history and progress. Each slow step forward is bringing us closer to the future state we envision. And it likely will take 20 years, or more, to get there as a collective healthcare system.
Taking the long view this week has given me a sense of peace, knowing that the work we are doing today, no matter how futile it may feel or seem in the moment, is contributing to the greater well-being of physicians and healthcare workers for decades and generations to come.
I come away from this week even more motivated, to bring us closer to the future state we desire as a healthcare community.
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