DHE Leads the Way in Clinician Well-Being Initiatives
DHE is making significant strides in improving clinician well-being through innovative initiatives that combine research and hands-on practice. Sponsored by the UNC Health Well-Being Program, DHE launched a 60-day blitz across 16 emergency departments in the UNC Health system, gathering more than 370 submissions from clinicians about their well-being concerns. These submissions provided valuable insights, ranging from workflow inefficiencies to staffing and physical work environment issues. Thanks to this feedback, immediate improvements were implemented, such as resolving Epic issues and enhancing equipment support. Work has begun on complex projects to address systemic challenges, such as boarding and throughput. Local projects also tackled practical needs, including revamped supply stocking, dual monitors for physicians, and portable phones for nurses.
With funding provided by the UNC Health Well-Being Program, DHE supported well-being initiatives across all participating EDs, and five hospitals successfully made requests for supplies to improve staff morale and comfort. These requests were promptly approved and fulfilled by August, demonstrating commitment to fast, impactful interventions. By combining real-time changes with research, DHE’s work was presented at the International Conference for Physician Health and submitted for publication, ensuring that the lessons learned here will benefit healthcare providers nationwide. As they move forward, DHE remains dedicated to sustaining and expanding these efforts to support clinicians in their vital roles.
Dr. Mazur, along with his team, Jennifer Bissram, and Dr. Emily Kertcher, pose with emergency department staff and leaders at UNC Rex after delivering chairs and other requested supplies to improve staff well-being.
Leading Human Factors Research in Workplace Violence Prevention
Meagan Foster has been at the forefront of advancing human factors research within DHE, focusing on critical issues faced by healthcare professionals. One of her key contributions has been spearheading efforts to analyze workplace violence in healthcare settings. Using an innovative electronic aggregate reporting tool, Meagan’s research captures the frequency of healthcare professionals experiencing or witnessing incidents of workplace violence.
Her most recent publication, featured in the Journal of User Experience this fall, highlights the significant findings and actionable insights from this important work. By identifying trends and patterns, Meagan’s research continues to inform strategies that enhance safety and well-being for healthcare workers.
Research in Radiation Oncology Quality Assurance
Elizabeth (Liz) Kwong’s PhD research focuses on transforming pretreatment quality assurance in radiation oncology by developing and implementing an automated checklist for physicists. This innovation, designed in collaboration with the University of California at San Diego, aims to replace manual processes, improving usability and reducing the cognitive workload on physicists—ultimately enhancing patient safety and care quality.
In addition to optimizing workflow efficiency, Liz’s research explores the role of stakeholder engagement in the development and implementation of health technology tools. By involving physicists and other key stakeholders, this work identifies strategies for successful technology adoption, offering a blueprint for the effective implementation of digital health solutions to improve care quality and patient outcomes.
Liz, a PhD student in the Carolina Health Informatics Program (CHIP), has been with the Department of Radiation Oncology and DHE for 3 years and is scheduled to graduate in May, 2025.
Mazur Leads Efforts to Establish WHO Collaborating Center in Radiation Oncology
Dr. Lukasz Mazur is driving efforts for the Department of Radiation Oncology to become a designated World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center. This initiative focuses on an area in which the department is already recognized as a leader—patient safety in radiation oncology. This is a collaborative effort involving many leaders in the department, along with faculty from the School of Information and Library Science (SILS) and CHIP, who are contributing their expertise in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. An extensive report and technical documents are currently being prepared by a large team, with the first draft expected to be completed in February 2025. With this diverse range of knowledge and innovative practices, the department is well-positioned to contribute to WHO’s mission of enhancing global health standards.
As a WHO Collaborating Center, the Department of Radiation Oncology would join an international network of institutions working to advance patient safety, optimize treatment outcomes, and develop best practices in radiation oncology. This designation would not only recognize the department’s existing contributions but also allow it to share its knowledge on a global scale, helping improve radiation oncology safety standards worldwide.
Accomplishments
Dr. Mazur was selected to participate in the 2024–2025 class of Leading Transformation in Academic Medicine (LTAM). LTAM is a 9-month, cohort-based leadership development program for midcareer faculty striving for increased levels of leadership. The program is housed in the School of Medicine’s Office of Faculty Affairs and Leadership Development.
Written by Jennifer Bissram, MSIS, MBA