Burnout-busting partnership said to signal ‘a major shift in how physicians will be supported in the future’
A telehealth practice active in all 50 states has hired a similarly sprawling behavioral-health consultancy to provide physicians with pro-wellbeing, anti-burnout counseling and related services.
Vital WorkLife of Minneapolis announced its signing of teleradiology giant vRad Oct. 12, suggesting its specialization in building physician wellness on a national scale will enable it to tailor programs for wide swaths of vRad’s 500 or so radiologists.
Vital WorkLife’s onsite as well as remote capabilities may have influenced vRad’s selection. vRad’s home offices are in Eden Prairie, Minn., less than 20 miles from Minneapolis.
In the announcement, vRad medical director Christina Geatrakas, MD, says the practice considered pursuing other avenues but “ultimately decided to partner with an expert in the field of wellness and health support.”
“Avoiding physician burnout is a mission-critical issue for our practice,” Geatrakas says.
Vital WorkLife notes burnout’s “pervasive and multi-dimensional” character in healthcare. The company points out the COVID-19 pandemic worsened problems that were evident long before late 2019.
Not least among these: bottomless workloads, inflexible schedules and work-life imbalances.
“Our partnership with vRad, whose radiologists are geographically dispersed, is part of a major shift in how physicians will be supported in the future,” says Mitch Best, Vital WorkLife’s CEO. “This turnkey solution provides vRad radiologists with confidential, physician-specific support no matter where they live or work.”
Vital suggests vRad radiologists’ ingrained familiarity with virtual care settings will facilitate their easy access to Vital’s full suite of physician wellbeing resources. These include virtual assistant concierge services, peer-to-peer coaching and on-call behavioral health sessions.
Full announcement here.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.