In this episode, Dr. Austin reflects on the podcast's future and her forthcoming autobiography, "Revitalized: A guidebook to rediscovering your heartline while doctoring," including past experiences of gender bias and the shadows of sexual harassment in the medical field. She discusses how these experiences have shaped her career and inspired this podcast. Yet, this isn't the entire story- there is a larger narrative about healthcare change that she's excited to explore with listeners.
“I am ready for this podcast to reboot. The writing process helped me heal and, while the scars of gender bias and sexual harassment will always be there, they don't have to be the entirety of what we talk about on this podcast. The podcast will go on a break and when it returns it will be called Revitalizing Healthcare." -Andrea Austin
Dr. Austin examines the lingering impact of gender bias, reflects on the ways it impacts our professional identities. Peering through the lens of her master's thesis, 'Creating Changemakers to Revitalize Medicine,' she sheds light on the challenges ahead and the pathways to progress.
Dr. Austin ends the episode by looking ahead to the podcast's future. She and her guests will continue to share stories about sewing the seeds of change, advocating for a healthcare environment that works better for patients and healthcare workers. The upcoming break is not an end but a crucial intermission. This period of reflection and rejuvenation is a catalyst for evolution as the podcast will return with a new name, Revitalizing Healthcare.
Connect with Dr. Austin, check out her newsletter, website, and podcast, and stay in the know for the release of her autobiography here.
The resources mentioned in this episode are: Menon A. Sexism and Sexual Harassment in Medicine: Unraveling the Web. J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Apr;35(4):1302-1303. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05589-0. Epub 2019 Dec 12. PMID: 31832928; PMCID: PMC7174475.
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Join this list to keep up to date on the launch of her forthcoming book, Revitalized: A guidebook to rediscovering your heartline. This book provides a beacon for channeling emotional intelligence not only to survive but thrive in medicine.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to Revitalizing Healthcare. I'm your host, andrea Austin. I'm an emergency doctor and changemaker that believes healthcare can be better for patients and workers. I have conversations with guests that are revitalizing healthcare. This podcast has been called the Revitalizing Doctor. It began as a resource for women in medicine and was largely inspired by both the good and the bad that I've experienced while doctoring as a woman. For the last 85 episodes, we've explored the stories of women and allies primarily physicians on how they've leaned into their values, defined their boundaries and, in doing so, expanded their reach in healthcare, and I am so thankful for every guest I've had on this podcast. Many of these stories are rooted in the concept that we can't pour from an empty cup. In order to care for others, we must care for ourselves. The medical education system didn't teach us that and for many of us, it takes until mid-career for us to do the deep work to better understand ourselves and reshape our careers to be more in line with our values, boundaries and priorities. Another recurrent theme on this podcast has been the impact of gender bias in medicine. I've discussed the profound impact gender bias has had on my career along with many of my guests Gender bias and the quest to revitalize medicine, to promote gender equity for all healthcare workers and patients, will always be a focus for me.
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Many of you know that I'm working on my autobiography Revitalized a guidebook to rediscovering your heartline while doctoring that will be released this fall. One of the chapters is on sexual harassment, one of the most horrendous ways gender bias shows up in our workplaces. I want to read a short passage from the book. Why does sexual harassment, and worse still, perpetuate in medicine? Dr Anita Menon, in a essay, asserts that sexual harassment is baked into the culture of medicine. It is often more related to power dynamics that are fueled by hierarchical structures of medicine. It is often more about power over and maintaining this hierarchy than about sex. Importantly, she links sexual harassment to this larger context of gender bias. The lack of proper lactation rooms and protected time to lactate, inadequate family leave, including maternity leave and parental leave, the decrease in promotion rates, the paucity of women in senior roles, the persistent pay gap are all part of a larger social construct that contributes to maintaining the patriarchal structure of medicine.
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In a recent conversation with a colleague still on active duty, she shared with me that gender bias continues to affect her. I shared with her that the Veterans Administration, or VA, recognizes that sexual harassment is considered military sexual trauma, known as MST, along with a long list of potential mental and physical issues that MST can cause, such as anxiety, depression and panic attacks. It is also recognized to cause attrition. The VA considers that job dissatisfaction and a desire or ultimately leaving the military is a consequence of MST. This was particularly therapeutic for me as it helped draw a through line that these early experiences in my career, despite the many positive ones, left an indelible mark. As I revised the chapter on sexual harassment, I had a revitalization. I am ready for this podcast to reboot. The writing process helped me heal and, while the scars of gender bias and sexual harassment will always be there, they don't have to be the entirety of what we talk about on this podcast. The podcast will go on a break and when it returns it will be called Revitalizing Healthcare. Part of the inspiration for Revitalizing Healthcare came from my research. Some of you know that I am working on my master's in healthcare professions education and my thesis is entitled Creating Changemakers to Revitalize Medicine. I want to share with you part of my thesis proposal and it will provide a framework for the podcast as we go forward.
Speaker 1:
Less than half of Americans characterize their healthcare as good or excellent. Despite leading the developed world in per capita healthcare spending, the United States lags behind other industrialized countries in key healthcare outcomes, including life expectancy, infant and maternal mortality. The challenges are expected to continue to mount, with an aging population, which will increase both the complexity and the burden of disease, despite the increased volumes and the complexities of our patients. Major payers increased volumes and the complexities of our patients. Major payers, including Medicare, continue to decrease physician reimbursement. Covid-19 has accelerated healthcare worker resignations, further stressing the remaining workforce. Additionally, healthcare disparities increased during the pandemic. Climate change is also contributing to increased frequency and severity of natural disasters that have potential to strain the healthcare system even further. As the digital transformation era of healthcare continues to unfold, the changes needed to meet the challenges are anticipated to accelerate at an unprecedented rate. Ai may support some of these changes, but it also poses new risks.
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With these mounting challenges, physicians are increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo of American healthcare. More than 50% of physicians are burned out, and while the initial phase of physician well-being movement focused on resilience, there is growing emphasis that organizational factors, including a culture of wellness and efficiency of practice, have a substantial impact on physician career fulfillment and preventing burnout. Furthermore, there is increased recognition that the dysfunctional system is harming patients and this causes moral injury in physicians. Moral injury is increasingly recognized as the underlying cause of physician burnout, attrition and disengagement in the physician community. There is growing consensus among patients, physicians and policymakers that healthcare must undergo a massive transformation to improve quality, decrease cost, improve population outcomes. To improve quality, decrease cost, improve population outcomes and promote healthcare worker well-being.
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Physicians have a unique and important role within the healthcare system and are integral to the development, implementation and the sustainment of changes. Despite the record rates of burnout, there are many physicians that are effective changemakers and change agents. Drawing from the organizational psychology literature, lippitt, watson and Wesley proposed seven-phase model reliant on external change agents. Change agents are anyone who has the skill and power to stimulate, facilitate and coordinate a change effort. Stimulate, facilitate and coordinate a change effort. A change maker is defined as someone who takes intentional, creative action to solve a societal problem.
Speaker 1:
The major organizational psychology theorists view change through the individual and organizational frames. The literature has delineated systems thinking improving mental models, fostering dialogue. Systems thinking improving mental models, fostering dialogue and a culture that promotes double-loop and triple-loop learning at the individual, group and organizational level as key components driving profound change. Furthermore, the aforementioned reflective capabilities are said to promote profound change, touching the innermost domains of the person, cultivating personality, core value, habits and the collective organization. Similarly, perkins et al eloquently articulate that the precondition for transformative change encompasses an organization that has both the infrastructure and the culture necessary to support the process of organizational learning. The individual is seen as an active change agent and acts to intervene in organizational processes. Hence, a learning organization depends on an openness to new ideas and change that both the individual and organizational levels. Combining these two perspectives, the general consensus among the literature appears to support the premise that all change requires some level of transformative learning by the individuals and transformational change by the organization. However, there is no clear consensus on the individual characteristics and requisite experiences that inspire and propel physicians to be change makers throughout their career. In addition, the organizational factors that facilitate these changes are not well understood in the healthcare context. Description of these individuals and organizational factors will provide guidance on developing enhanced learning capabilities for individuals and organizations, including systems thinking, improving mental models, fostering dialogue, nurturing personal vision and building shared visions.
Speaker 1:
In some ways, the podcast is the same and it is also evolving. In some ways, the podcast is the same and it is also evolving. Every guest I've had on this podcast fits in with the framework I'll use moving forward. Guests will be changemakers that are doing work in line with the Institute for Health's quadruple aim of improving quality population health, healthcare worker well-being and reducing costs. And I want to underline healthcare worker well-being and reducing costs. And I want to underline healthcare worker well-being. We can no longer afford to set ourselves on fire to keep the healthcare system warm. It is very much time that healthcare worker well-being is at the forefront and I believe that we will take better care of patients when we are taking care of ourselves.
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What does this mean for you as the listener? The podcast name will be changed to Revitalizing Healthcare. You'll still be able to find it in your podcast feed just under the new name. Most of the old episodes will still be available. I will be on a much needed break and the episodes will resume in summer of 2024. You can follow my Instagram or threads at Revitalizing Doc and subscribe to the podcast and my newsletter, which is available at AndreaAustinMDcom, so you don't miss an episode.
Speaker 1:
Another quick note in the past, the trailer for this podcast mentioned that it was a project of Revitalize Women Physician Circle. Due to my dad's declining health and the focus on the creative endeavors related to healthcare changemaking, I made the difficult choice to leave Revitalize Women Physician Circle. I wish everyone at Revitalize Women Physician Circle the very best and I truly believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. This podcast has always been, and will continue to be, created by me. I am excited about the changes coming and expanding the change-making conversation to always revitalizing ourselves and the system. I can't wait to see you back later this year with new episodes. Thanks for listening to Revitalizing Healthcare.
Speaker 1:
This podcast represents the views of me and my guests. It does not reflect the views of any entity we work for or with. Podcast production assistance is provided by Caitlin Dinh. Sound editing for this podcast is brought to you by Better Podcasting Services. You can find them at betterpodcastingservicescom. If you're interested in revitalizing your own life or organization, reach out to me at andreaostinmdcom for coaching and consulting. If you enjoyed the podcast, it would be awesome if you subscribed, left a rating and review and forwarded to a colleague. If you're interested in sponsoring episodes, reach out to me for affordable and customized packages. A rating and review and forwarded to a colleague. If you're interested in sponsoring episodes, reach out to me for affordable and customized packages. Thanks for always revitalizing.