Dayton Children’s recognized by American Medical Association for promoting well-being and reducing burnout

Dayton Children’s Hospital has earned silver recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine™ health organization. The prestigious AMA distinction acknowledges organizations that are prioritizing the well-being and professional fulfillment of physicians. Dayton Children’s is one of just two health care organizations in Ohio to receive this award from the AMA and the only pediatric hospital in the state to be recognized. 
 
After peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic, the physician burnout rate has dipped under 50 percent for the first time in four years. This is a milestone in preventing and reducing physician burnout, but continued efforts are essential to ensure doctors receive the support they need to thrive and achieve national health goals. 
 
“We are honored to receive this recognition from the American Medical Association for the work we’re doing at Dayton Children’s to prevent provider burnout,” said Sean Antosh, MD, pediatric anesthesiologist and the chief medical wellness and engagement officer at Dayton Children’s Hospital in Ohio. “Dayton Children’s has done an amazing job of supporting physicians throughout COVID and the return to normalcy.  We're continually looking at ways we can improve provider wellbeing by breaking down barriers and coming up with innovative solutions to bring joy to the workplace, including the work underway with clinical informatics on improving EHR efficiencies and faculty development.” 
 
Dayton Children’s has been uniquely focused on staff wellbeing after the pandemic left health care workers on the edge of burnout. To respond, the hospital deployed several initiatives, including: 

• Staff support clinician - a licensed mental health provider who is specifically for staff. This person created a program of mental health support with flexibility to respond to the unpredictable nature of health care in real-time and provide connection to extended resources. 

• Peer support program - employees from departments across the hospital who are trained in mental health first aid to support their peers after a traumatic patient care situation, adverse event or stressful life circumstance. 

• Communication strategies - eliminated silos by combining all wellbeing initiatives under one voice to the employee with a dedicated one-stop shop called the Nest on our intranet. Started a weekly newsletter to bring holistic wellbeing information direct to the employee's email. 

“Physicians are humans caring for other human beings, strained by factors beyond their control and challenged by the enormous expectations placed on them to continuously deliver high quality, compassionate care. There is no doubt change is needed, but what needs to change is not the doctors,” said AMA President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “A national movement is gaining momentum to transform health care work systems and fix the root causes of physician burnout. Health organizations that have earned the AMA’s Joy in Medicine recognition are leading this movement with bold visions for redesigned clinical systems to foster professional well-being and support quality care.” 
 
Since its inception in 2019, the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 100 organizations across the country. In 2024, a total of 62 health systems nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork, and support. These 2024 organizations join a strong cohort of currently recognized organizations from the 2023 program. 
 
Learn more about the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program at ama-assn.org/joyinmedicine.