Episode 48 - Employee Well-Being & Spiritual Health - with Brian Hughes

The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast

In this episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, Seth Serxner is joined by Brian Hughes, Director of Employee Well-Being & Spiritual Health at Optum, to talk about integrating spiritual care within healthcare settings, particularly for clinicians facing burnout and moral distress.

Brian Hughes is a board-certified chaplain with 22 years of experience in acute care across various states. Six years ago, he transitioned to the health insurance sector with UnitedHealthcare Health Group Optum.

Brian initially worked on a pilot program to screen Medicaid recipients for spiritual distress, leading to the development of a telephonic chaplaincy service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he expanded his role to support healthcare staff, focusing on clinician support, living wills, and end-of-life discussions.

His professional journey is influenced by personal insights from his wife, a breast cancer surgeon. Brian is dedicated to redefining chaplaincy beyond religious contexts, emphasizing spiritual care including values, meaning, purpose, community, and belonging. His work also focuses on addressing burnout and moral distress among healthcare staff.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Brian and Seth discuss:

☑️ Chaplains are pivotal in supporting healthcare providers, particularly those grappling with burnout and moral distress.

☑️ Research indicates that systemic issues, rather than individual resilience, account for 80-90% of clinician burnout.

☑️Even non-religious individuals benefit from spiritual care, as it addresses fundamental human needs like purpose, connection, and meaning.

☑️ Healthcare organizations should align systemic changes with business objectives.

☑️ Including values like compassion in performance reviews and organizational strategies promotes a supportive and humane work environment.

☑️ Expanding chaplaincy services across healthcare systems can enhance clinician well-being.

☑️ High health literacy is essential for patients and families to make informed decisions.

☑️ And much more.

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