Strengthening physician wellness in Nevada

Physicians experience higher rates mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and burnout compared to the general population.¹ The same is true for medical residents, with one study finding that 20% of residents met the criteria for depression and 74% for burnout.² Physician mental health not only affects the individual, it also impacts quality of care.³ Despite these challenges, many physicians are hesitant to seek care due to stigma or concerns that seeking care could impact their medical license.⁴

To support physicians’ mental health, UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid provided a $50,000 grant to the Nevada Physician Wellness Coalition (NPWC). The organization provides tools and resources to support the wellbeing of physicians and their families. The goal is to create a safe environment for physicians to build up resiliency and seek support to address mental health conditions, substance use disorder, or suicidal thoughts. By supporting physicians’ health and wellness, the organization also aims to bolster retention of physicians in Nevada, which has a shortage of primary care physicians in each of the state’s 17 counties.⁵

NPWC serves physicians and medical students regardless of their place of employment or employment status and operates autonomously so physicians can access support without fear of professional repercussions. NPWC’s programming is guided by four core competencies:

• Safety and trust – creating spaces that are emotionally and psychologically safe for physicians.
• Connection and community – facilitating meaningful connections to build a sense of community and reduce stigma.
• Independence – maintaining autonomy from employers of physicians or governing bodies to ensure unbiased support.
• Evidence-based – utilizing proven tools to move the needle on physician burnout and suicide.

The organization partners with hospitals, the state medical board, and other health care organizations to bring programming and resources at no cost to physicians. Over the past four years, over 1,150 physicians and 450 other health care professionals have attended at least one program – representing more than 15% of all physicians in the state. Through funding from UnitedHealthcare, more physicians across the state will be able to access expanded resources.

These resources include a physician and family resource helpline. This free, confidential helpline is dedicated to supporting physicians and their family members. The helpline is staffed by psychologists in Northern and Southern Nevada with specific training in physician stress and burnout. The psychologists can provide help within 24 hours as well as referrals to a curated network of mental health professionals committed to seeing physicians quickly. The resource line is designed to be a helpful resource before a physician reaches point of crisis and provides help for physicians’ family members who may be concerned about the physician’s well-being.

The organization offers programming to support physician well-being and provide Continuing Medical Education credits. This includes a monthly speaker series delivered online, typically presented by a local physician. Over the past four years, the organization has delivered over 40 presentations on topics like building resilience and supporting well-being in the workforce. Additionally, a monthly series called Enhancing Humanism in Medicine covers topics like mindfulness and focusing on the human aspects of medical practice. This series is tailored for two groups: statewide physicians and physicians working within specific hospital systems. This is designed to build connections and foster conversations among the physician peers.

NPWC recently launched a mentorship program for first-year medical students at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at University Nevada of Las Vegas. The program has connected eight local physicians with 24 current medical students. The goal is to foster a supportive environment to help the next generation of physicians navigate their careers and mental health.

NPWC’s approach has been recognized in the 2023-2028 Nevada State Health Improvement Plan as an example of a key initiative to address the well-being of health care providers, in line with the State’s goal of improving the health care workforce in Nevada.⁶ The organization has also collaborated with credentialing agencies, patient protection committees, and organizations like the Nevada Chapter of the American College of Physicians to identify opportunities to revise mental health-related questions that impact physician licensing and credentialing.

Strengthening Nevada’s health care workforce includes bolstering the well-being of physicians. The grant to the Nevada Physician Wellness Coalition will enable more physicians and medical students to access resources and care to address mental health, burnout, substance use and suicide risk, ultimately supporting healthier and stronger communities across the state.