Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1468749
40 PATIENT & CAREGIVER EXPERIENCE Mayo Clinic: Badges succeed in reducing role misperceptions By Cailey Gleeson C linicians were less likely to report role misidentifica- tion while wearing role-identifier badges, a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found. "We had heard recurring concerns from our trainees who were being misidentified by patients and other healthcare workers and not being recognized as res- ident doctors," Amy Oxentenko, MD, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, said in an April 1 news release. "Because of conscious or unconscious biases, wom- en are often assumed to be nurses or other allied health staff, and trainees from underrepresented backgrounds had shared that they were asked if they were from other hospital services, such as janitorial or phlebotomy." Researchers studied 341 resident physicians at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., from October to Decem- ber 2019 after an eight-week intervention in which residents wore badges said "doctor." Of the 159 residents who returned surveys before and after the intervention, 128 wore the badges for the duration of the experiment. Residents who wore the identifiers were significantly less likely to report role misidentification at least once a week from patients, physicians and nonphysician team members. The 66 female residents included in the study also reported significantly fewer episodes of gender bias while wearing the badges. n Florida bars hospitals from restricting visitors By Molly Gamble F lorida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation into law April 6 that bars any healthcare facility in the state from restricting in-person visitation to patients. SB 988, titled the No Patient Le Alone Act, applies to hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled. e law states that facilities' visitation policies may not be more stringent than those established for the provider's staff and may not require visitors to submit proof of any vaccination or immunization. It also specifies that healthcare facilities must allow consensual phys- ical contact between patients and visitors. Under the law, patients can also designate a visitor as an essential caregiver whom providers must allow in-person visitation for at least two hours daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the provider. "roughout the pandemic, the federal government has waived protections for families to visit their loved ones in hospitals and long-term care facilities. at is unacceptable," Mr. DeSantis said in a news release. "Here in Florida, we recognize that family and human connection is one of the most important aspects of physical, mental and emotional well-being, and we are ensuring Floridians are never again denied the right to see their relatives and friends while in hospitals or nursing homes." Healthcare organizations must adopt and publicly post their visita- tion policy in an easily accessible format on the home page of their website by May 6, outlining hours for visitation and any health or safety procedures that visitors are subject to. Providers may suspend in-person visitation of specific visitors if they violate the provider's policies and procedures. n How a chief wellness officer is dealing with burnout: 'It's really connecting with people where they're at' By Georgina Gonzalez K irk Brower, MD, faculty director of the Michigan Wellness Office at the University of Michigan Medical School, suffered from a serious bout of burnout, leaving him cynical and angry. He brings his personal experience with burnout and insights learned into his role as chief wellness officer of University of Michigan Medical School, according to a March 31 AMA interview. Since starting the role in 2019, Dr. Brower has established a wellness advocacy network that encompasses 30,000 employees, with whom he meets every other week. The network consists of representatives from clinical and science departments that will then share their ideas and suggestions with other leaders. The office also has a grant program that allows different departments to pilot pro- grams that help employee well-being. "One thing is change takes time, but it happens," Dr. Brower said. "Relationships with whomever I interact with are the key. As a chief wellness officer, I can't really afford to have anybody other than allies. It's really connecting with people where they're at. And realizing that all chal- lenges are opportunities." n