The Buddy Program
Summary
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Modeled after the military's "Battle Buddies" program, the Buddy Program at Hennepin Healthcare was created in response to the stress brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic on clinicians
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The Buddy Program created a wellness structure based on peer support where providers were paired as “buddies” who checked in on each other regularly to provide support during the pandemic at Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS)
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Oversight and support was provided by department Wellness Champions
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Additional support was provided by a team of mental health professionals or the Office of Professional Worklife (OPW)
Program Description
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The Buddy Program was a peer support program for all clinicians (physicians and advanced practice providers) and was part of a larger effort called the Mental Health Protection Program at Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS).
Modeled after the military’s “Battle Buddies” program and a similar program underway at the University of Minnesota, this evidence-based program created a wellness structure at HHS where providers were paired as “buddies” who checked in on each other regularly to serve as sounding boards, ensured personal stability, and provided each other with support throughout the pandemic. The “buddies” had the opportunity to check in about stress levels, connect and share concerns or successes with someone who was familiar with what they were facing, and could offer support and community at a time of high demand.
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Informational cards which had check-in instructions, sample check-in questions, and contact information for the program & for mental health resources were provided. Departmental level oversight and support was provided by department Wellness Champions. They oversaw the provider pairs by checking in periodically, were available to provide additional assistance and address concerns, and could direct providers to a team of mental health professionals or the Office of Professional Worklife (OPW) for further assistance. The program was financially supported by the Hennepin Healthcare Foundation.
Background
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The COVID-19 pandemic took a tragic toll on patients and a visible toll on clinicians. Front line clinicians were stressed, exhausted, fatigued and scared. Rapid changes in protocols, massive email volume overload, fear of contracting the illness or bringing it home to loved ones, and the emotional impact of watching patients die with little capacity to help them, all conspired to attack any sense of well-being that clinicians might have had, and left them feeling drained, worried, helpless and guilty. Clinicians who were working behind the front line were also facing stressors including concern they were not doing their part, fear of not meeting productivity goals, and frustration at trying to provide care over the phone, at the same time as many were caring for children who are not in school.
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Clinicians were already facing stress and burnout before the pandemic. Research by our team (Linzer, JGIM. 2016) and others (Shanafelt, Mayo Clin Proc. 2017) has shown prevalence rates of burnout ranging from 10-50%, with key predictors being time pressure, chaotic workplaces, lack of control, and adverse organizational cultures (such as lack of values alignment between clinicians and leaders, emphasizing productivity over quality, lack of cohesion, and lack of trust in the organization). Our studies have also determined there are interventions that reduce burnout, including workflow redesign and improving communication (Linzer, JGIM. 2015). Dyrbye showed that reducing burnout markedly reduced the risk of suicidal ideation in medical students (Annals of IM, 2008).
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The Hennepin Healthcare System’s (HHS) Office of Professional Worklife (OPW) partnered with the American Medical Association to create a “Coping with COVID” brief survey to gather data from healthcare workers across the country and at HHS. Preliminary survey data shows that clinicians were facing stress both at work and home, such as fear of transmitting the virus to family and others in the community, feeling like they were failing as clinicians, not having time for breaks or to eat, and feeling drained and unrested.
Our team believes that a program aimed at improving clinician mental health and reducing burnout can improve morale while lowering depression and suicide risk, and hopefully prevent PTSD.
Buddy Program Relationship Tree
Buddy Program Info Card
What Happened
The Buddy Program trial rolled out in June 2020. Early steps focused on connecting with department leadership and gaining administrative buy-in. The decision was made to make the program opt out instead of opt in, so every provider would have someone to watch out for them. Buddy pairs were based on provider type (physician or Advanced Practice Provider) and FTE level within their hospital department.
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Each department member was informed of the program via email communication which explained the program purpose and provided the information card, program contact names & emails, and a list of all the buddy pairs for the department.
Lesson Learned
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Having a provider wellness structure already in effect was a great help. The Provider Wellness Committee (PWC) was supportive and its members are the departmental Wellness Champions who offered assistance to the buddy pairs. They were also able to provide departmental insights, advice and assistance in creating the pairs. If this structure does not exist in your work place, it can be created by seeking out department leaders (formal or informal) who have an interest in or support wellness work.​