How Human Factors Ergonomics Builds the Case for Clinician Well-Being as a Quality Metric

Michael R. Privitera, MD, MS

Dr. Privitera is Professor of Psychiatry at University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), and Medical Director, Medical Faculty and Clinician Wellness Program, which works on individual and organizational interventions to reduce clinician burnout. He received a Patient Safety Award 2018-2019 from his malpractice carrier MCIC. The goal of this project was to deliver a Human Factor-Based Leadership curriculum that uses an Integrated Model of Patient Safety and Staff wellbeing which was developed over a six year period. The outcome of this project helped leaders identify and reduce latent conditions in healthcare systems that contribute to error and clinician burnout.

He was Chair 2015-2019, Medical Society of the State of New York Task Force on Physician Stress and Burnout and stepped down from this position to focus upon making better known the connection of clinician wellbeing to patient wellbeing.

Dr Privitera was a member of the Federation of State Medical Boards Task Force on physician burnout, which led to their policy recommendations of 2018 of limiting state board physician mental health questions to current impairment and not about past psychiatric history to help encourage physicians to seek help and avoid stigma. He has presented on Integrated Model: Patient Safety and Clinician Wellbeing, and Human factor-Based Leadership at the International Symposium of Human Factors in Healthcare, Institute for Healthcare Improvement Patient Safety Congress and American Hospital Association Leadership Summit.

He was a member, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health Office for Total Worker Health® and the NIOSH Healthy Work Design and Well-Being Program: Healthy Work Design Council in 2020. He has written in publications of Physician Leadership Journal, The Joint Commission, American Hospital Association, National Patient Safety Foundation, Medscape, Journal of Hospital Administration and Journal of Legal Medicine on physician burnout.