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Welcome to TMA's Wellness Resource Center. TMA is committed to providing aid to physicians across the state, and this page is designed to help members find reliable programs and outlets when searching for ways to improve mental health and combat burnout.
Resources and Studies
Surgeon General Advisory Sounds Alarm on Health Worker Burnout and Resignation
During Mental Health Awareness Month, Surgeon General’s advisory highlights the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on health workers, who already faced crisis levels of burnout prior to the pandemic. Read here.
STUDY: The Association of Work Overload with Burnout and Intent to Leave the Job Across the Healthcare Workforce During COVID-19
Newly-published Journal of General Internal Medicine study finds that perceived work overload was associated with burnout and intent to leave across all health care roles, including physicians, nurses, and other clinical and non-clinical staff. Read here.
STUDY: Digital Minimalism — An Rx for Clinician Burnout
This New England Journal of Medicine commentary weighs the cost-benefit balance for technology and advocates for the development of clear boundaries around the use of modes of communication to achieve greater periods of uninterrupted work and higher quality patient care. Read here.
AMA Podcast: Reframing Compassion Fatigue: Reframing Compassion Fatigue: Compassion as a Tool for Combating Burnout
Dr. Rola Hallam, British-Syrian consultant anesthetist, humanitarian and founder of CanDo, a social enterprise that enables local, frontline health care workers to provide health care to their own war-affected communities, shares the story of her “valley of darkness” and how compassion can be a tool to combat burnout. Click here to listen.
AMA: These 6 Physician Specialties Have the Most Burnout
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently completed an Organizational Biopsy showcasing 2022 trends in different performance categories. The data was compiled in order to serve as a national comparison among health care organization. Read more from the AMA here.
AMA Physician Well-being Program
The American Medical Association's Physician Well-being Program stives to raise awareness surrounding the issue of physician wellness while also offering resources and solutions to promote a healthier system. Read more from the AMA and discover resources here.
TMA's Efforts
Below are links to efforts that TMA has made over the past year to highlight wellness.
- From The President: A message from TMA's Immediate Past President Edward Capparelli, MD, addressing physician burnout. Click here to read.
- All Member Virtual: TMA hosted two meetings focused on physician wellness. Click here to view recordings.
- Topline: Our July/August 2022 Issue focused on TMA's ongoing efforts to promote physician wellness. Click here to read the issue.
- News Articles: Read more about TMA's ongoing efforts to promote wellness initiatives:
The Judgment Index™
As part of TMA’s strategic focus on improving physician wellness, the association is partnering with the Judgment Index™ (JI) to provide members with immediate insight into strengths and obstacles that impede effective decision-making. The goal is to foster personal development, leadership, and resilience to support a healthy lifestyle and obtain a better balance with family, work, and home.
Tennessee Medical Foundation
Founded in 1978 by TMA, the Tennessee Medical Foundation (TMF) is now an independent nonprofit organization providing expert, confidential assistance addressing health concerns specific to all physicians, including trainees and students, for addiction and other behavioral health disorders, cognitive issues, and more. The TMF Physician’s Health Program (TMF-PHP) maintains a 24-hour phone line (615-467-6411) for referrals; calls made after hours will be returned within one business day. Physicians are strongly encouraged to contact the TMF directly with questions or concerns before a problem becomes career- or life-threatening.
The TMF also provides a separate service to physicians struggling with personal mental health. The Tennessee Professional Screening Questionnaire (TN-PSQ) is a free 24/7 voluntary, confidential, completely anonymous mental health self-screening tool, funded by donors and grant partners. This is a non-crisis service that will result in referrals to appropriate mental health resources and optional interaction with a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Your identity will not be known to the TMF or the TMA, and will not be known to the TN-PSQ counselor unless you choose to reveal it.
TMF Website Take the TN-PSQ Download Brochure
State Resources
PROSPER
The Nashville Academy of Medicine and the Medical Foundation of Nashville launched PROSPER to provide resources and support and to encourage Middle Tennessee physicians to reach out before they are in crisis.
LifeBridge
LifeBridge was created by the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society and the Medical Foundation of Chattanooga to provide that resource and to encourage physicians to reach out before they are in a crisis.
Vitality Initiative Project
The Knoxville Academy of Medicine's VIP program is designed to help our physicians manage the rigors of work-life balance, long before the stressors impact their ability to practice medicine.
Thrive
The Memphis Medical Society and Memphis Medical Foundation launched Thrive, a physician wellness initiative where a physician can call or text a confidential hotline and be connected with a licensed psychologist.
Department of Health
The Tennessee Department of Health provides a variety of resources for people struggling with their mental health. Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call the TN Statewide Crisis Line at 855-CRISIS-1.
Find Hope Franklin
Find Hope Franklin is a community-based resource with a mission to reduce the stigma association with mental health. It helps individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, addiction or suicidal thoughts.
National Resources
Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation
The Foundation’s mission is to reduce burnout of health care professionals and safeguard their well-being and job satisfaction. They envision a world where seeking mental health services is universally viewed as a sign of strength for health care professionals.
Physicians Foundation
This nonprofit organization is steadfast in strengthening the physician-patient relationship, supporting medical practices’ sustainability and helping physicians navigate the changing health care system.
AMA's Burnout Center
American Medical Association is leading a movement to fight the system level drivers of physician burnout. The association is focused on removing administrative burdens, providing real-world solutions and helping physicians rediscover the joy in health care.