Allegheny Health Network Earns National Recognition for Prioritizing Physician Wellbeing

PITTSBURGH - Allegheny Health Network (AHN) today announced it has received two prestigious recognitions for its commitment to the wellbeing of its clinician workforce. AHN has been recognized as a Wellbeing First Champion for 2025 by ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare and has earned gold recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine® organization.

As a WellBeing First Champion, AHN has verified that its physician and APP credentialing applications are free from intrusive and stigmatizing language around mental health care and treatment. This ensures that physicians and APPs at AHN can seek needed care without fear of losing their license or job when completing their credentialing or reappointment applications or can apply for roles at AHN without concern about how past mental health diagnoses might impact their job prospects.

Verification that all invasive or stigmatizing language around mental health has been removed from applications is confirmed biannually by The Dr. Lorna Breen Heros Foundation ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, a coalition of leading health care organizations that work to eliminate barriers for health workers to access mental health care.

AHN was the first healthcare organization in Pennsylvania to be named as a WellBeing First Champion in 2024.

The gold-level Joy in Medicine recognition from the AMA honors health systems, hospitals, and medical groups that prioritize proven methods to reduce burnout and enhance the professional fulfillment of doctors that comes from patient care. Organizations meeting the rigorous criteria of the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leaders in the national effort to transform health care work systems and address the root causes of burnout among care teams.

According to research, burnout among U.S. physicians peaked at 62.8% in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thanks to strides made to address burnout at the system level, the national physician burnout rate decreased to 45.2% in 2023. Despite these improvements, physician burnout levels remain much higher than other U.S. workers, underscoring the importance of continued efforts to ensure doctors receive the support they need to thrive and achieve national health goals.

"These recognitions are a testament to AHN's deep commitment to fostering a supportive and healthy environment for our clinicians," said Thomas P. Campbell, MD, MPH, an emergency medicine physician, and chief wellness officer for AHN. "By continuing to find new ways to improve the wellbeing of our physicians and APPs, we are ultimately ensuring they can provide the best possible experience and care for our patients."

To learn more about AHN's clinician and workforce wellness initiatives, visit https://www.highmarkhealth.org/blog/future/Investments-in-Care-Include-Clinician-and-Workforce-Wellness-Initiatives.shtml.