Table 1 Topics of the five town hall sessions and their educational objectives
Number | Town Hall Session Title and Objectives |
|---|---|
1. | The Battle Against Professional Burnout and Moral Injury in Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine: What Do Our Experiences Teach Us? |
Review definitions of occupational well-being, burnout and professional fulfillment | |
Review the scope of the problem, prior to 2020, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic | |
Explore associated factors of burnout and well-being among healthcare workers | |
Explore data relevant to Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine specialists, including factors contributing to burnout | |
Discuss individual, organizational factors and cultural changes intended to support those already experiencing burnout and to prevent it in others. | |
2. | Beyond Biological Limits: The Role of Sleep in Professional Burnout. |
Describe the role of sleep in healthcare professionals’ burnout | |
Review the impact of sleep deprivation on healthcare worker performance and patient safety | |
Review what we have learned from sleep-related interventions in medical settings | |
3. | Impact of Burnout on Clinical and Research Activities in Pulmonary/Critical Care/Sleep Medicine. |
Review the impact on research (hiring staff, subject enrollment, publications, promotion/tenure, work/life balance) | |
Review impact on clinical operations | |
Review impact on recruitment, retention of employees (“great resignation”) | |
4. | Burnout in Vulnerable Communities: Experience of Underrepresented Groups and Next Steps. |
Review of overlap between burnout and marginalized groups | |
Discuss potential causal factors contributing to higher rates of burnout in vulnerable groups | |
Potential mitigating strategies, focused on vulnerable groups | |
5. | Building Organizational Resilience: Data-Driven Strategies to Mitigate Health Worker Burnout. |
Review evidence and consensus systemic-based strategies, including optimizing sleep, aimed at mitigating burnout | |
Discuss next steps in their broad implementation at organizational (employers), group (societies, licensing boards, etc.) and individual level | |
Remaining major gaps that need to be addressed in future research |