The critical link between provider wellness and its impact on patient satisfaction

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Across the country, health care providers are going above and beyond to help their patients. They’re doing so by any means necessary, whether that be powering through double shifts, skipping meals, or taking minimal breaks despite their need to recalibrate. While health care is often a life-or-death matter, this nonstop pressure can take an unhealthy toll on clinicians. As a result, this leads to burnout, a decrease in patient satisfaction, a higher risk of errors, and ultimately, impacts the quality of care being delivered.

While the collective goal of medical facilities is to strive to deliver the best care possible, too often, the well-being of nurses and other health care providers takes a back seat in the name of meeting goals.

Improving the quality of care with a healthy workforce

In my 25 years in the health care industry, I’ve come to learn—especially during the pandemic era—that the health of the clinicians treating and caring for our population is the backbone of quality, safe, and effective patient care.

When overexertion starts to erode the health of our providers, it makes it all the more difficult for them to practice medicine effectively—especially during high-pressure situations. Imagine the difficulty of absorbing complex information, administering dangerous medications, or maintaining an empathetic bedside manner when you’re sleep-deprived and battling brain fog; it’s a combination that is nearly impossible.

Those aspects of the health care profession are non-negotiable, as it's part of what builds trust and rapport, and it's what makes quality clinical care possible. Patients can usually tell when a provider is checked out or emotionally disconnected, and when that happens, it can result in lost confidence, hesitation to ask questions, doubting instructions or credibility, and ultimately making them less likely to follow treatment plans to the end. That kind of patient-provider disconnect can have real consequences.

On top of that, a care team that's burned out is more likely to struggle under the constant stress of the health care environment. Only a healthy and mentally present team can create an environment where patient demands are met with the compassion and professionalism required for quality care. Ultimately, ignorance of their well-being is dangerous, both for the business and for the patients in your care.

Creating a culture that supports health care workers

Wellness isn't just the responsibility of the individual—it's ultimately shaped by the culture of the organization. When the organization's leadership puts real effort into creating a supportive workplace—through manageable workloads, regular breaks, and opportunities for growth—staff will feel it, and morale will flourish. In one survey of 400 nurses, more than half of the respondents (66.7%) expressed negative mental well-being, and about 91 of those nurses (22.8%) reported missing an average of nearly 975 work hours due to absenteeism. This clearly indicates the dangers of wellness and support being pushed to the wayside.

Culture and collaboration across the care team are crucial components of fostering wellness for providers. Having strong communication and being able to rely on support staff makes all the difference, creating a sense of trust and dependability. That shared trust can ease pressures, help prevent burnout, and promote continuity of care—exactly what patients need.

High turnover rates—often driven by tough or unsupportive work environments—can really disrupt the patient experience. Particularly for patients in long-term care, trust is eroded when faces keep changing! In contrast, stable, well-balanced teams create an atmosphere of comfort and reassurance; patients know who to expect and can establish a relationship, and that cohesive care can make all the difference.

Try to celebrate small wins with small gestures—a quick thank-you, a shoutout in a meeting, or a quick 1:1 conversation can go such a long way. When individuals feel appreciated and their care team feels supported, your health care organization is more likely to meet its goals surrounding quality of care, patient satisfaction, and care plan adherence.

Enhancing provider wellness with these five tactics

To better support the healthiness of our providers, leadership and administrators should come together to address staff needs. Here are some straightforward ideas that can help practices and health systems foster a stronger culture of wellness:

1. Prevent burnout through scheduling
   Start by ensuring you have enough staff scheduled. For some facilities, you may want to invest in temporary staff to support staffing shortage gaps. Endorse the use of paid time off so your team can have a strong work-life balance. When employees have time to recharge, they’re more likely to deliver their best.
2. Make ‘healthy’ an easy option
   Make healthy living accessible. You can do this by offering healthy snacks in the employee break room or perhaps including discounted gym memberships as an aspect of your team’s compensation package.
3. Support career development
   Create clear pathways for growth and advancement. This might involve mentorship programs, ongoing professional education, or leadership opportunities.
4. Recognize achievements
   A culture of frequent, genuine recognition breeds motivation. Showcase staff achievements, both clinically and personally, to make each individual feel integral to the practice’s success.
5. Improve technology and processes
   If your tech stack is fragmented, it’s affecting the clinical staff. It forces physicians, nurses, medical assistants, and technicians to work around inefficiencies. Investing in all-in-one software that is user-friendly and has integrated tools alleviates administrative burdens and gives providers back time to focus on higher-priority responsibilities.

The urgent imperative for provider wellness

Provider wellness isn't optional; it's essential. Patient satisfaction and overall quality of care are contingent upon it. Hospitals, practices, and other medical facilities that prioritize the health of their providers are much more likely to have more positive patient experiences, better outcomes, and stronger trust from the patients, who will continue to return.

Keep in mind that the health care providers you employ are the key to a successful organization. When your providers are healthy, their patients will be healthier, too! Taking provider wellness seriously isn't just great for morale; it's a direct investment in long-term organizational success.