Creating a Culture of Wellness - No Jerks Allowed

The culture of a health care system influences physician wellness; in turn, physician wellness is an indicator of the health care system quality. A career as a physician was traditionally viewed as a calling where patients came first, even to the personal detriment of the physician. Organizational cultures that support work-life integration allow flexibility and cooperative scheduling for the activities of work, home, family, community and self. Today’s health care challenges require collaboration, teamwork and the collective intelligence to get to the solutions that our complex environment requires. Open workspace is one method that can transform culture; academic medicine is following the model of the business world with spaces that flatten hierarchy, enhance communication among faculty and trainees, and foster a culture of civility and greater attachment to the organization. Top-down hierarchical leadership is outdated and counterproductive. Organizations with a flat structure are nimble, innovative and tend to outperform those with more traditional hierarchies. Adopting the humble attitude of a servant leader is essential to building positive department and organizational cultu