I thought I would take the opportunity during this holiday season to follow up on my blog post from September about resiliency and share with you the feedback we received to my invitation for comment. We received a handful of comments, with the following notable themes:
- Would like to see our department as a hopeful place to work, where transparency, mutual learning and opportunities for advancement are present.
- Explore flex time.
- Emphasis on resilience as opposed to work-life balance almost places more stress on the individual. Work-life balance … focuses on external factors that are stressing the individual that can possibly be modified … both … have to be sought if employee wellness is going to be optimized.
The idea of hope, transparency, mutual learning and opportunities for advancement make for a very positive work environment. Our leadership team consists of folks from three different entities, all working together to improve each of these things. I want to be sure you know who our leadership team is, and which entity they represent.
- As division chief, I represent the School of Medicine and the PDC
- John Ragsdale, M.D., in his role as medical director and vice chair of clinical affairs, represents the PDC
- Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, M.D., FAAFP, in her role as residency program director, represents the Duke University Health System, which funds Graduate Medical Education (GME) activities
- Lisa Lowe-Hall, as administrative director, represents the Duke University Health System
- Candace Penda, as clinical operations director, represents the Duke University Health System
This team has only recently been fully in place, and we are beginning to address the issues of a healthy workplace. We meet regularly, and each of you, depending on your role in the organization, has access to at least one member of that team, or their delegates, as a resource to receive your suggestions and answer your questions.
We recognize as a team that there has been a tremendous amount of change and transition in the past two years in our practice. Having a positive workplace is really all of our responsibility. We are trying to have the option of flex time to make our clinic work more effectively for both patients and for staff and faculty. We are also working to build in transparency about budgeting and compensation models, and about long-term planning for the division. I will continue to welcome your feedback, and to work with everyone to try to make this the best possible place to work.
I’ll also offer a hearty thanks to those who sent in comments and feedback, and a wish for a joyous holiday season, whatever you may be celebrating. Thanks, too, for all that each of you do to help us thrive together.
Sharon K. Hull, professor and chief of the Division of Family Medicine, can be reached at sharon.hull@duke.edu.
Editor’s note: Dr. Hull guest blogs the first Friday of every month.