The Office of Physician and APP Fulfillment

Improving the well-being and professional fulfillment of our employed and independently affiliated Corewell Health physicians and APPs.

We are facing a nationwide epidemic of physician and APP burnout. The costs of burnout include poorer quality of care for our patients, higher turnover of our physicians and APPs and increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicide. Spectrum Health is invested in improving the well-being of physicians and APPs through targeted programs and initiatives.

Our programs and initiatives

Stanford Model for Professional Fulfillment
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Our approach follows the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Model to advance the well-being of physicians and those they serve. This framework places shared responsibility on the organization, department, and team as well as on the individual.

The WELLMD/WELLPHD Model
Culture of Wellness

Organizational work environment, values and behaviors that promote self-care, personal and professional growth, and compassion for ourselves, our colleagues, and our patients.

Efficiency of Practice

Workplace systems, processes, and practices that promote safety, quality, effectiveness, positive patient and colleague interactions and work-life balance

Personal Resilience

Individual skills, behaviors, and attitudes that contribute to personal physical, emotional, and social well-being, including the prevention of burnout.

Our Office provides centralized coordination, development, and implementation of programs and initiatives designed to support wellness within our system by:

  • Endorsing the health and well-being of our healthcare professionals and learners as a core value and cultural norm 
  • Using the Well-Being Index to longitudinally measure well-being
  • Using data to deploy targeted interventions in high need areas
  • Implementing changes to improve the efficiency of practice and reduce clerical burden for physicians 
  • Establishing new programs that provide caregiver support and create community
  • Improving access to and decreasing stigma towards mental health care

Mental Health Support
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Would you like help navigating resources? Schedule a Well-Being Consult with one of our Caregiver Well-Being Specialists.

Immediate Support

If you are feeling distressed, in crisis, out of control, unable to keep yourself safe, suicidal, or in need of immediate help:

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | 988 (call/text)

  • https://988lifeline.org/
  • Suicide prevention and crisis response for you or your loved ones
  • Available 24/7, free and confidential support for anyone in distress

Ulliance | 844.684.3422

Ulliance Logo
  • www.LifeAdvisor.com
  • Available 24/7, Confidential, No cost, Short-term, Solution-focused
  • Available for all Corewell Health employees, spouses, live-in partner, and dependents through age 26
  • Counseling, coaching, crisis support, legal assistance & financial advice
South & West Michigan

Pine Rest Psychiatric Urgent Care | 616.455.9200

  • www.pinerest.org/urgent
  • Immediate assessment and treatment for people experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms who cannot wait for routine outpatient intervention.
East Michigan:

Common Ground Resource and Crisis Center | 248-983-5454

Short-Term and On-Going Support

If you are having trouble coping, feeling depressed or anxious, or experiencing personal or professional stress:

Ulliance | 844.684.3422

Ulliance Logo
  • www.LifeAdvisor.com
  • Available for all Corewell Health employees, spouses, live-in partner, and dependents through age 26
  • Available 24/7, Confidential, No cost, Short-term, Solution-focused
  • Counseling, coaching, crisis support, legal assistance & financial advice

Physician Support Line | 888-409-0141

  • https://www.physiciansupportline.com/
  • Physiatrists helping US physicians and medical students navigate the many intersections of personal and professional lives: 
  • Free & Confidential, No appointment necessary, 7 Days a week | 8:00am-12:00AM ET

Physician Resilience Program

  • eap@pinerest.org (email to request a session)
  • Support and guidance throughout the litigation process or when the stress of medical practice extends to other dimensions of life.

Michigan Health Professionals Recovery Program (HPRP) 800-453-3784

  • HPRP – Health Professional Recovery Program
  • HPRP is designed to encourage health professionals to seek treatment before their mental health or substance use impairment harms a patient or damages their careers through disciplinary or regulatory action, with the goal of keeping you practicing medicine safely
  • Provides consultation, evaluations, treatment, and case management
  • Calls are answered Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Priority Health – Behavioral Health 800.673.8043 

The Well-Being Index
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Well Being Index

The Well-Being Index is a Mayo Clinic developed survey that measures six dimensions of wellbeing:

  1. Meaning in work
  2. Likelihood of burnout
  3. Severe fatigue
  4. Work-life integration
  5. Risk for medical error 
  6. Risk for suicidal ideation

      Individual results are kept anonymous and confidential and provide Corewell Health with a mean distress score for each department.

      This tool helps you better understand your overall well-being and areas of risk compared to other physicians and APPs across the nation.

      This information is used to create strategic reports that drive programming for high-risk areas and system-wide initiatives.

      It connects you to immediate national and local resources to support you in:

      • Emotional concerns, including stress and fatigue
      • Health behavior
      • Finances
      • Relationships and work-life balance
      • Career development

      • Organizational and leadership resources
      • Medical errors and malpractice
      • Alcohol and substance abuse
      • Suicidal thoughts

      If you're interested in taking the Well-Being Index assessment, email the The Office of Physician and APP Fulfillment at officeoffulfillment@corewellhealth.org.

      Well-Being Consults
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      Well-Being Consults offer short term support, motivation, and direction in addressing various aspects of work life integration with our licensed mental health provider and Caregiver Wellbeing Specialist. These consults are anonymous and confidential and available to physicians, APPs, residents, and fellows and include up to 3 sessions per life event. Topics of focus may include:

      • Professional Fulfillment
      • Burnout

      • Self-advocacy
      • Work life balance
      • Mindfulness
      • Resilience
      • Self-compassion
      • Compassion fatigue
      • Self-care
      • And more

      Well-Being Consults are perfect for the busy professional who is interested in connecting on aspects of personal well-being in a convenient and concise way. The overarching goal of this offering is to help foster resilience, well-being, and growth of our staff as individuals and professionals.

      How do I sign up?

      Sign up for an initial consult with one of our Caregiver Well-Being Specialists:

      Grant Heller, PhD, BCB grant.heller@corewellhealth.org

      Book a consult by emailing Dr. Heller.

      Kristen Jones, LMSW, LCSW Kristen.jones3@corewellhealth.org

      You can also reach out directly to our office via email at officeoffulfillment@corewellhealth.org or via phone at 616.267.9400.

      Need ongoing support beyond 1-3 sessions?

      Well-Being Consults are not intended to replace therapy. If ongoing therapy is desired instead of or after completion of Well-Being Consults - our team can help navigate connecting you to additional resources that best meet your individual needs.

      Caregiver Peer Support Program
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      The Peer Support program connects you to a trained peer supporter who is a fellow physician or APP and someone with similar work experiences.  The goal is to connect you with someone who truly gets it and can help you process the complexities that so often come from working in healthcare.

      When to reach out and how it works

      Peer support can be utilized whenever someone is struggling with chronic stress, compassion fatigue, or burnout. Examples may include:

      • Involvement in an adverse event
      • A challenging patient outcome
      • Patient aggression
      • Litigation, or 
      • Crisis relief work

      Peer support is completely confidential and is a crucial tenet of our program. There is no documentation of the session and no tracking of personal information (including names). Peer supporters will activate the Blue Envelope Workflow if an individual is expressing concerns about self-harm.

      After you contact us, you will be sent an intake form that includes minimal information in order to create the best match. Our Office of Physician and APP Fulfillment team will utilize that information to match you with someone who is available to meet within 24-72 hours.

      Need peer support or interested in becoming a peer supporter?

      It's easy to reach out and get connected:

      Call: 616.267.9400
      Email: peersupport@corewellhealth.org

      Practice Wellness Sessions
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      Practice Wellness Sessions are topic-based facilitated conversations, tailored to meet the needs of your team. The hour-long session provides opportunities to build team dynamics over breakfast or lunch, provided by The Office of Physician & APP Fulfillment. Sample topics include: 

      • Physician & APP Fulfillment 
      • Team Building 
      • Values Clarification (Team-Based) 
      • Energy at Work

      What your colleagues are saying!

      • 100% of attendees either strongly agreed or agreed that the session they attended was worth their time and that that having protected time to discuss well-being and support with their team was appreciated.
      • 90% of attendees either ​​​​​​​strongly agreed or agreed that in comparison to how they felt prior to the session, they are now more likely to seek help for symptoms of burnout.
      MED+UP Program
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      The MED+UP program brings small groups of physicians and APPs together monthly for conversations facilitated by a peer on topics related to professional fulfillment and meaning in work and life. It is a great opportunity to build new community and connections with colleagues in a meaningful way. This program meets for 10 months on a monthly basis and is available for CME

      This opportunity, and combined curriculum, has been initiated throughout leading health systems. ​

      Topics
      1. Meaning in Work
      2. ​ Warning Signs
      3. ​ Imposter Syndrome 
      4. Reflection and Presence​
      5. Relationships at Home and at work​
      1. Trauma Exposure Response 
      2. Perfectionism
      3. Medical Errors and Malpractice
      4. Unconscious Bias in Healthcare
      5. A lifespan approach to one's career
      Interested in joining or facilitating a MED+UP group?
      The OPAF Coaching Program
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      The OPAF Coaching program was developed and designed to provide our physicians and APPs an innovative professional development opportunity.

      Coaching program participants report an increase in overall job satisfaction, an increase in a sense of belonging at Corewell Health, and report that the program affected their decision to stay employed with the organization.

      Each client is partnered with a Certified Professional Development coach who is focused on helping them achieve their professional goals. This partnership allows our clients to make profound, lasting shifts in their lives with frequent focus on personal and professional fulfillment, career development, charting and more.

      What is professional development coaching?

      Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment. Coaches honor the client as the expert in their life and work and believe every client is creative, resourceful, and whole. Standing on this foundation, the coach's responsibility is to:

      • Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
      • Encourage client self-discovery
      • Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
      • Hold the client responsible and accountable

      This journey helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills, communication skills, aligning more closely to personal values and unlocking their full potential.

      What Your Colleagues are Saying:
      • It's helpful to have time to reflect and dedicate time to my thoughts. I leave the session with a clear line of sight into next steps. 
      • The program helped me feel more in control of my work life, which greatly affects my happiness. I was able to see opportunities for improvement where I initially felt there were none or had no clue where to start. 

      Program Offerings

      At different times of the year, OPAF offers group, individual, and leadership coaching programs. These programs run between 3-6 months, are facilitated by certified coaches, and are available to employed physicians and APPs.

      If you are interested in a future coaching program, please complete our Coaching Interest Form and/or email us at officeoffulfillment@corewellhealth.org.

      Wellness Wednesdays
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      Join the Office of Physician & APP Fulfillment every Wednesday at noon where Well-Being Experts, Mental Health Professionals, Certified Development coaches speak on topics that may resonate with you. These facilitated discussions are meant to provide bite-sized content focused on well-being and give space for connection with colleagues across the system.

      Topics may include:
      • Self-Compassion & Mindfulness
      • Meaning in Work
      • Adverse Event and Litigation Stress
      • Relationships and Support at Work
      • Work/Life Satisfaction
      • Imposter Syndrome
      • Well-Being Resources at Spectrum Health and in the community
      • And more!

      Email officeoffulfillment@spectrumhealth.org to have the Wellness Wednesday events added to your calendar.

      Mindfulness Resources
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      Calm App
      Calm App Icon
      • Corewell Health has partnered with Calm to provide the organization with tools that can help team members and their families reduce stress and anxiety, sleep better, and live happier, healthier lives.
      • Use the sign up link here and follow the instructions attached to redeem your free Calm subscription today!

      • Once you’ve signed up, share Calm with up to five loved ones (age 16 years or older) via the “Manage Subscription” page inside your Calm account. Follow these instructions to add dependents from your premium account.
      Center for Mindfulness
      • The Center for Mindfulness offers programming built on the evidence-based practice of mindfulness and are led by Ruth Lerman, MD and staff
      • Programming includes: 
        • Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
          • MBSR teacher training
        • Mindfulness practice groups
        • Consultations
        • Workshops and course series
      • Contact the Center for more information or to register (947-522-3590 or centerformindfulness@corewellhealth.org)

      eM Life

      eMLife logo
      • Online live and on-demand mindfulness programming available to you, your spouse, and your dependents as part of your benefits package
      Additional Key Resources
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      If you are struggling with burnout, chronic stress, or have experienced an adverse event, please call our Liaison Line at 616.267.9400 and we will connect you to the resources that best fit your situation.

      Corewell Health

      BeWell Home

      B Well Wheel image
      • BeWell Home
      • Promotes Corewell Health employee well-being by focusing on the six dimensions of Well-Being: Emotional, Financial, Intellectual, Physical, Social, Spiritual, Emotional
      Lifestyle Medicine
      MyConcierge
      Clinical Informatics
      • Clinician Support (sharepoint.com)
      • Identify time-saving efficiencies
      • In-Person & Independent Study (via workday)
        • Skills Sessions
        • Epic Physician Power User
        • At the Elbow Support
        • Ongoing EHR Support
      • Workday modules:
        • 4-hour Provider Skills Workshop (Ambulatory or Inpatient)
        • 2-day Ambulatory Optimization
      • Contact epiceducation@corewellhealth.org
      Suicide Prevention Resources
      Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) | 616.391.1753
      • Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)
      • Facilitates team and individual debriefing after an adverse event including abnormal stressful incident, poor patient outcome, death of a team member, or workplace violence.
      Corewell Health East Integrative Medicine | 248-964-9200 
      • Integrative medicine offers evidenced-based, clinical modalities that combine traditional and holistic treatment options to help with illness, relieve pain, manage stress, and optimize overall health. 
      • Available treatments include massage, acupuncture, Reiki, yoga therapy, integrative and lifestyle medicine physician appointments and naturopathic consultations. Physician appointments are available face-to-face or via video. 
      • All Corewell Health team members and volunteers receive discount pricing on massage, acupuncture, Reiki and pharmaceutical-grade supplements. 
      • Email CHEintegrativemedicine@corewellhealth.org to be added to the newsletter.  
      Corewell Health Risk Department | 616.486.2522
      • RiskManagement@corewellhealth.org
      • Identifies and eliminates risk, provides consultation, and works proactively and reactively to minimize the damages following adverse events.
      External Resources

      More about us

      Key resources

      If you are struggling with burnout, chronic stress, or have experienced an adverse event, please call our Liaison Line at 616.267.9400 and we will connect you to the resources that best fit your situation.

      Group of healthcare professionals talking

      Find a list of resources below to assist you with mental health and personal resilience.

      Mental health support
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      Encompass
      800.788.8630

      • Benefit for Spectrum Health employees and household members
      • Each receive 7 sessions per life event
      • Services go beyond counseling
        • Life coaching, legal and financial resources, childcare/eldercare support​​​​​​​

      Lakeland EAP
      269.428.0022
      SharePoint
      portal

      Michigan Health Professional Recovery Program
      800.453.3784

      MPIE Physician Resilience Program
      616.202.2288 (Ext 1)

      • 1:1 support with mental health professional when going through litigation
      • Litigation Stress and Peer Support Programs
      National Suicide Hotline
      800.273.8255

      ​​​​​​​Physician Support Line
      888.409.0141​​​​​​​

      • Psychiatrists helping US physicians and medical students navigate the many intersections of personal and professional lives: Physician Support Line
        • ​​​​​​​Free and confidential
        • No appointment necessary
        • Open 7 days a week | 8:00am-1:00am EST​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

      Pine Rest Psychiatric Urgent Care
      616.455.5490

      Personal resilience
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      Headspace

      Mindfulness Skills Training in Medicine Course

      Priority Health

      The Office of Physician and APP Fulfillment

      Team members can access our internal page to learn more about our programs and meet our coaches.