Championing clinician wellbeing: how health systems can lead the change

Kenza Bouzoubaa

Brand & Communication Manager

Corey Feist

CEO at Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation

Ahead of Healthcare Workforce Wellbeing Day on March 18, we sat down with Corey Feist, CEO of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, to discuss the state of clinician wellbeing, the impact of the Wellbeing First Champion Challenge Program, and how health systems can take action.

Breaking the stigma in healthcare

Kenza: Your foundation has been at the forefront of advocating for clinician wellbeing. Studies show that mental health stigma remains a major barrier for clinicians seeking care. Why do you think this stigma is so persistent in healthcare?

Corey: The stigma surrounding mental health in healthcare is deeply ingrained, both culturally and institutionally. From the earliest stages of medical training, healthcare professionals are conditioned to persevere independently, often at the expense of their own wellbeing. Seeking help for mental health concerns is often perceived as a sign of weakness, which deters many from getting the support they need.

Additionally, institutional policies have reinforced this stigma. Licensing and credentialing applications have long included intrusive mental health-related questions, forcing clinicians to weigh the risk of disclosing past treatment against potential career consequences.

Our foundation has been working to address these barriers by advocating for systemic changes that remove these unnecessary obstacles. The progress we’ve seen in credentialing reforms is encouraging, but shifting deeply rooted cultural perceptions remains an ongoing challenge that requires education, advocacy, and leadership commitment.

The impact of credentialing & clinician feedback

Kenza: Through the WellBeing First Champion Challenge program, 521 hospitals and 43 licensure boards have verified their licensing or credentialing applications are free from intrusive mental health questions and stigmatizing language as of February 20, 2025. What has the reception been like from clinicians themselves?

Corey: We’ve seen rapid progress—today, over 500 hospitals and 40 licensing boards have removed these intrusive questions. This policy change now positively impacts 1.25 million licensed and 200,000 credentialed healthcare workers across the U.S.

The reception from clinicians has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have expressed relief, knowing they can now seek mental health care without fear of professional consequences. In one state, we’ve observed a 15% increase in self-reporting of mental health treatment among physicians.

However, many clinicians remain unaware that their organizations have removed these questions. Ensuring widespread, ongoing communication about these changes is the next critical step.

Health workers have the right, too education campaign

Kenza: The ALL IN coalition is creating a Health workers have the right, too education campaign to launch on Health Workforce Well-Being Day. How can health systems get involved?

Corey: This campaign will center around six rights ensuring that clinicians have access to confidential, judgment-free mental health care. Health systems can get involved by:

• Publicly endorsing the campaign
• Educating their workforce through internal communications
• Assessing and updating policies
• Hosting discussions and training sessions

By participating, health systems can take meaningful steps toward breaking the stigma and fostering a more supportive work environment.

Gaining leadership & organizational buy-in

Kenza: What strategies have you seen work best in getting CEOs and hospital boards to prioritize clinician wellbeing?

Corey: Traditionally, healthcare leadership has focused on patient outcomes, often at the expense of workforce wellbeing. However, the rising levels of clinician burnout and staff shortages have made it clear that supporting the workforce is an operational necessity.

One effective strategy has been providing data-driven, practical solutions that leaders can implement without significant disruption. Our Impact wellbeing campaign, developed with the CDC, offers six actionable steps that organizations can take. Additionally, our Caring for caregivers program creates peer learning cohorts where hospitals can share best practices.

Credentialing & implementation timeline

Kenza: For health systems looking to remove intrusive mental health questions from their credentialing process, how long does it typically take, and what are the key steps involved?

Corey: The process typically takes a few months and involves these five key steps:

1. Audit existing credentialing applications to identify problematic language.
2. Revise questions to align with best practices, ensuring they focus on current impairment rather than past treatment.
3. Submit revised applications for verification by our foundation.
4. Receive the Wellbeing First Champion designation upon approval.
5. Communicate these changes to employees to ensure awareness and understanding.

Many organizations have found this process straightforward with the help of our toolkits and support materials.

The role of companies like Nabla in supporting clinician well-being

Kenza: Beyond health systems, companies in the healthcare space—like Nabla—are also working to alleviate clinician burnout through AI-powered solutions. How do you see technology and AI playing a role in improving clinician wellbeing?

Corey: AI-powered solutions have already been transformational. Just recently, I spoke with a physician who told me that Nabla’s AI tools have been life-changing, significantly reducing after-hours charting. Documentation burden is the number one driver of clinician burnout, and AI has the potential to dramatically improve workflow efficiency.

Beyond EMR optimization, AI can also assist with radiology prioritization, administrative workflows, and back-office automation, helping clinicians spend more time on patient care.

What’s next for the foundation?

Kenza: What are some of your key priorities and goals for this year?

Corey: Our key priorities include:

• Launching the Health workers have the right, too campaign on March 18.
• Advocating for the reauthorization of the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act.
• Expanding Caring for caregivers into three more states.
• Continuing state-level policy advocacy to streamline administrative burdens and protect clinician confidentiality.

Looking ahead: A call to action for health systems

Kenza: If you could send one message to hospital leaders who want to make a real difference in clinician wellbeing, what would it be?

Corey: Listen, act, communicate, and repeat. Engaging with frontline workers and addressing their concerns in a continuous improvement cycle is key to creating sustainable change in clinician wellbeing.