The Henry Ford Health Success Story: How the Health System is Combating Physician Burnout and Understaffing

Recently, LigoLab Information Systems and Medical Laboratory Observer collaborated on a case study that focused on the steps taken by Henry Ford Health to combat two major ongoing problems in our industry: physician burnout and understaffing. 

The four references used in the case study are listed here:

1.     The causes and consequences of pathologist burnout. Ligolab.com. Accessed November 21, 2023. https://www.ligolab.com/post/the-causes-and-consequences-of-pathologist-burnout.

2.     What caused the current shortage of medical laboratory technologists and what steps need to be taken to solve the problem? Ligolab.com. Accessed November 21, 2023. https://www.ligolab.com/post/what-caused-the-current-shortage-of-medical-laboratory-technologists-and-what-steps-need-to-be-taken-to-solve-the-problem.

3.     Physician wellness program. Henryford.com. Accessed November 21, 2023. https://www.henryford.com/hcp/physician-wellness-program.

4.     Production System. Henryford.com. Accessed November 21, 2023. https://www.henryford.com/hcp/academic/pathology/production-system.

Here’s a summary of that case study published by MLO on December 19, 2023. 

Henry Ford Health Case Study Summary

The case study began with a question.

How can the medical laboratory industry handle all-time-high testing volumes while also addressing the negative effects and mental strain that growing caseloads and understaffing have on medical laboratory personnel? 

The Problem

Physician burnout and the shortfall of qualified medical laboratory technologists have gone from growing concerns to full-blown crises within the industry. 

The case study backs up this statement by sharing the results of a poll conducted by the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP). The poll revealed that burnout is widespread nationally, with 71.4 percent of practicing pathologists saying they have felt burnout symptoms at some point while on the job. Another 32.9 percent responded by saying that burnout was a current problem they were experiencing. 

As for understaffing, It is estimated that the clinical lab industry is currently short some 25,000 medical laboratory technologists, and numbers continue to plummet. 

Mix in the fact that the effects of the COVID pandemic are also still being felt, as are the pressures resulting from rising supply costs and more expected reimbursement cuts, and even an outsider can quickly see that all of these factors represent a real threat to the medical laboratory. 

That’s the bad news and the negative trend. But all is not lost because some within the industry have successfully navigated the choppy waters with programs that target burnout, understaffing, and inefficient processes.

Highlighting the Work of Henry Ford Health

After establishing the problem, the case study turns its attention to Henry Ford Health, one of the nation’s leading and largest healthcare providers. The study shines a light on the institution’s wellness program, its pathology laboratory automation, and its Lean management strategy. 

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD, is the Division Head of Pathology Informatics at Henry Ford Health and a strong voice when it comes to pathology informatics and the future of the medical lab. 

In terms of burnout, Tuthill admitted that he’s very concerned about burnout and staffing challenges, noting that a lack of appreciation, interest, and compensation has slowed the med tech pipeline and is forcing current practitioners to do more with less.

“Look at what pathology labs have to do now to hire and retain staff. It goes beyond just bringing in med techs. The main challenge is finding qualified personnel to hire in the first place. ”

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD

A Physician Wellness Program Provides Needed Support

Tuthill is an active participant in the “We Care Physician Wellness Program,” first established by the medical group’s Chief Clinical Wellness Officer, Lisa MacLean, MD, in 2017. At that time, a wellness program such as this was uncommon, but according to Tuthill, there was a need for it even back then.

“We were already recognizing signs of physician stress and burnout, plus a lack of availability for individuals who support physician activities. As a leadership group, we realized the need for wellness activities, especially for the professional staff.”

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD

For MacLean, taking a lead role in the program was a natural next step after years of prep. In those early days, she built the program based on an existing Stanford model that recognized the need for a systemwide approach that focused on the problems within the healthcare system and drove burnout. She also leaned heavily on her colleagues for input and support.

“It was important that I approach the role with humility. There were others within the organization who also had a passion for this work, and I needed to harness their energy and add them to my small army of people tasked with preventing and mitigating burnout while also improving overall well-being.”

Lisa MacLean, MD

A Wellness Program Run by Physicians for the Benefit of Physicians

At Henry Ford Health, the primary goal is to optimize healthy coping strategies and help physicians find a good work/life balance that allows them to deliver high-quality care and find greater satisfaction in their careers and lives. “It’s all about creating a happier workforce,” said Tuthill, who also noted the importance of discreetly providing both emotional and psychiatric help to those experiencing high-stress levels, anxiety, and depression.

As part of the ongoing program, the leadership at Henry Ford Health has supported the hiring of a health psychologist for psychotherapy and two psychiatrists for medication support. Additionally, the program’s advocacy has also resulted in the removal of a question on the medical group’s credentialing questionnaire that asked about a clinician’s mental health treatment history.

“We strive to break down walls and barriers and open doors so that people who need mental health treatment can easily seek it.”

Lisa MacLean, MD

The Role of Automation in Pathology Informatics

Doing more with less is nothing new for anyone who has spent time in a clinical laboratory, but how can these businesses survive and even thrive during today’s uncertain times? 

For Tuthill and his colleagues in the pathology lab department, it all starts with automation.

“If we didn't have the automated chemistry line and the automated staining solutions in histology, and if we weren't extensively using barcode technology to drive all of our interactions with these assets, we wouldn't be able to keep the lab running. Without automation, we’d be closing our doors.” 

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD

According to Tuthill, it all comes down to automating processes and eliminating defects, first by standardizing lab workflow, and second by leveraging lab analytics. He also noted that some problems live deep under the hood and it takes lab analytics and a lot of effort to find them and correct them. He continued by saying it’s very important to do so though, because even minor problems can translate into hundreds of thousands of wasted dollars annually if not caught. 

Henry Ford Health and its Lean Management Philosophy

 At Henry  Ford Health, a dedication to lean culture and relentless process improvement dates back to 2005. That’s when the medical group’s leadership first integrated the Henry Ford Production System into its lab operations to eliminate wasteful practices through innovation and a focus on the needs of patients. 

“There's nothing that information technology likes better than lean quality management because it gets people to use our systems efficiently and consistently, and that allows us to identify defects and resolve them.”

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD

Tuthill also noted that a key to this production system is employee empowerment, with every employee incentivized to seek continuous improvement at his or her level of work. 

“With our very defined culture, all staff members can take ownership of their roles, identify deficiencies in standardized processes, and work to solve them in the most efficient manner possible.”

J. Mark M Tuthill, MD

That concludes the summary. A special thanks to Mark Tuthill and Lisa MacLean for their contributions, and to MLO’s Chief Editor Christina Wichmann for her management of the project. 

Read the Full Case Study Here 

Here’s the Henry Ford Health Case Study in full. 

Henry Ford Health: A leader in physician wellness, automation, and process improvement