Geisinger recognized for supporting health worker well-being

DANVILLE, Pa. - For the second straight year, Geisinger has been recognized as a WellBeing First Champion by ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare.

As a WellBeing First Champion, Geisinger has verified that licensure and credentialing applications for physicians and advanced practice providers don't stigmatize mental healthcare and treatment. This means health workers at Geisinger can seek needed care without fear of losing their license or job.

"This recognition demonstrates Geisinger's deep commitment to supporting the mental health and well-being of our workforce," said Susan Parisi, M.D., Geisinger's chief wellness officer. "Geisinger continuously promotes an open dialogue about mental health and reducing stigma to encourage our employees to seek help. We often talk about the importance of taking care of ourselves so that we can best care for our patients; with these credentialing changes for physicians and APPs, we're putting our words into action."

Verification that all invasive or stigmatizing language around mental health has been removed from applications is confirmed annually by ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare, a coalition of leading healthcare organizations that works to eliminate barriers for health workers to obtain needed mental healthcare.

"Across the country, health workers are at an increased risk for burnout and mental health conditions," said Corey Feist, organization co-founder. "Many health workers feel they cannot speak up about their mental health without being criticized by colleagues or losing their jobs. Today, physicians and nurses die by suicide at two times the rate of the general population. We as a nation must better protect these lives, and I applaud our Wellbeing First Champions for their leadership to support the well-being of health workers."

About Geisinger
Geisinger is among the nation's leading providers of value-based care, serving 1.2 million people in urban and rural communities across Pennsylvania. Founded in 1915 by philanthropist Abigail Geisinger, the non-profit system generates $10 billion in annual revenues across 134 care sites - including 10 hospital campuses - and Geisinger Health Plan, with 600,000 members in commercial and government plans. The Geisinger College of Health Sciences educates more than 500 medical professionals annually and conducts more than 1,400 clinical research studies. With 26,000 employees, including 1,600 employed physicians, Geisinger is among Pennsylvania's largest employers with an estimated economic impact of $14 billion to the state's economy. On March 31, 2024, Geisinger became the first member of Risant Health, a new nonprofit charitable organization created to expand and accelerate value-based care across the country. Learn more at geisinger.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About ALL IN: WellBeing First for Healthcare
ALL IN: Wellbeing First for Healthcare, led by the The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation, is a coalition of national organizations committed to advancing a state where the healthcare workforce's wellbeing is prioritized, and individual health workers feel valued and supported so they can sustain their sense of purpose and meaning in their work. Coalition members include AHIP, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Dental Association, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, American Nurses Foundation, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, CAA Foundation, CHARM, Federation of State Physician Health Programs, FIGS, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Heart of Safety Coalition, Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Moral Injury of Healthcare, National Medical Association, National Black Nurses Association, Medicine Forward, Organizational Wellbeing Solutions, Philippine Nurses Association of America, The Physicians Foundation, the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, and Thrive Global.