AAHAM Q4 '21

need a “mental health day” to recuperate or are seen
taking a sorely needed break. They may fear losing their
jobs, being passed over for a promotion, or letting down
their team if they don’t work continual overtime, even
when they’re exhausted.
There are also personality factors at play. Many
healthcare workers go into the field out of a desire to
help people. They are service-oriented individuals who
are seen—and who may see themselves—as strong, capable,
giving, and tireless. They may downplay their
own needs or see asking for help as weakness. After
all, they are the ones who are supposed to be doing the
helping.
All these factors make self-care for healthcare workers
a particular challenge. You cannot wait for them to ask
for support, no matter how stressed they are. Rather,
you must be proactive in offering support and codifying
mental health best practices. Otherwise, you may end
up losing a valuable employee to burnout.
3. Build a Culture of Self-Care, Backed Up with Real
Policies & Procedures
It is important to teach and encourage self-care, but
without procedures and policies, staff may forgo selfcare
due to pressure, stigma, or fear of negative consequences.
Actively enforced policies take the burden off
staff by giving them “permission” to take care of themselves.
These policies can include:
• Mandatory PTO days
• Mandatory rest/relaxation/stress management
breaks
• Required limits on work hours
Practices can include:
• Assigning mentors, work partners or teams to
encourage peer support
• Scheduling regular check-ins between supervisors
and direct reports
• Providing healthy, energizing food options in the
breakroom to reduce reliance on sugary snacks
and caffeine
• Providing at-work options for yoga, exercise,
meditation, and other stress reduction techniques
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• Providing regular mental health and wellness
training, as described above
The cost of these policies and practices is made up
for in recaptured productivity and in preventing the
loss of good employees to burnout.
Building a culture of self-care starts with leadership.
Managers should set the example by prioritizing
self-care themselves. If employees see their
managers making use of resources, taking rest
breaks and utilizing PTO, they are more likely to
feel comfortable and safe doing the same.
4. Support Your Healthcare Staff by Being Flexible
COVID-19 will have a long shadow as individuals
and families try to rebalance their lives. Staff members
may be dealing with childcare or other scheduling
challenges as a laid-off spouse returns to the
workforce, for example. Some staff members may
need more hours to make up for lingering unemployment
in the family, while others must work less
to accommodate family needs.
Whenever possible, allow for more scheduling flexibility
for employees. Show compassion and understanding.
Not only will this help employees stay
more productive in the present, they will likely respond
to your compassion with dedication and loyalty
in the long term.
5. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Uncertainty breeds anxiety. When the world feels
shaky on its foundation, even a small procedural or
staffing change can feel like an earthquake.
Be transparent about the state of the practice and
any organizational changes or updates. If you do
not address it, the rumor mill will—and even if
there’s nothing wrong, the uncertainty will make it
so. Set clear expectations about working hours,
workloads, and priorities.
Reduce the burden on your staff with Revenue
Cycle Management Solutions
Your staff will thank you (and feel stronger, too). With
the burden of patient billing and collections lifted, they
will have the muscle for what they do best.