RISE Program for Physician Burnout

Overseen By Amanda T Sawyer, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: AdventHealth

Disqualifiers: Resident physician, Advanced practice provider, Executive leader

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a special program can improve the mental health and well-being of doctors experiencing burnout. The RISE for Physicians Program, a 2.5-day retreat led by mental health professionals, focuses on building resilience, insight, and self-compassion. It is designed for physicians affiliated with AdventHealth who are not residents or executive leaders. Participants should regularly work in high-stress medical environments and may be experiencing burnout. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity for physicians to enhance their well-being through a specialized program.

Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the RISE for Physicians Program is safe?

Research has shown that the RISE for Physicians Program helps healthcare workers manage burnout through peer support and emotional assistance. This program is not a medication or medical treatment; it focuses on mental health and well-being. Participants have reported no negative effects or safety issues. Licensed mental health professionals lead the sessions, ensuring a safe and supportive environment. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the RISE for Physicians Program because it offers a unique approach to addressing physician burnout. Unlike traditional treatments, which often rely on individual therapy or medication, this program provides a 2.5-day retreat-style experience facilitated by licensed mental health professionals. The group setting encourages peer support and shared learning, which can be more effective in building resilience and coping strategies. This innovative format aims to provide immediate and practical tools, potentially leading to quicker relief and long-term benefits for healthcare professionals.

What evidence suggests that the RISE for Physicians Program is effective for reducing physician burnout?

Research has shown that the RISE for Physicians program, which participants in this trial will attend, can help reduce burnout among doctors. The program provides peer support and education to help doctors manage stress more effectively, improving their overall well-being. A survey by the American Medical Association found that doctors who receive more support experience less burnout and feel more satisfied with their jobs. Additionally, wellness programs like RISE have been shown to boost resilience, enhancing the ability to recover from stress. Overall, these findings suggest that the RISE program may effectively improve doctors' mental health and well-being. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Amanda T Sawyer, PhD

Principal Investigator

AdventHealth

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for physicians experiencing burnout and stress. It aims to see if the RISE program can help improve their mental health, resilience, and overall well-being.

Inclusion Criteria

Employed physician, contract physician, or non-employed physician with privileges at an AdventHealth hospital, emergency room, or AHMG practice

Exclusion Criteria

A resident physician

An advanced practice provider

I am an executive leader.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Program Participation

Participants attend the RISE for Physicians program, a 2.5 day retreat-style psychoeducational group program facilitated by licensed mental health professionals

2.5 days

1 visit (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in burnout, resilience, insight, self-compassion, empowerment, and mental health through surveys

3 months

2 visits (virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• RISE for Physicians Program

Trial Overview The study is testing the effectiveness of the RISE for Physicians Program in reducing burnout and stress among doctors while enhancing their self-compassion, empowerment, insight, and resilience.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Group Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Intervention group will attend the RISE for Physicians program, a 2.5 day retreat-style psychoeducational group program facilitated by licensed mental health professionals (LMHPs)

RISE for Physicians Program is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as RISE for Physicians Program for:

• Support for physician burnout, resilience, insight, self-compassion, empowerment, and professional and personal mental health and well-being

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

AdventHealth

Lead Sponsor

Trials

118

Recruited

31,800+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A peer-to-peer support program implemented at a pediatric medical center trained 125 supporters and received 2187 referrals, demonstrating its feasibility in addressing healthcare worker burnout.

Survey results showed that 71.8% of frontline clinicians found the program valuable, and 81.3% recommended it for those involved in adverse and stressful events, indicating its effectiveness in mitigating emotional distress.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implementation of a Peer-to-Peer Support Program in a Quaternary Pediatric Medical Center. Simpson, SL., Khan, S., Schiferl, LM., et al.[2023]

Physicians involved in adverse events often experience emotional distress, which significantly increases their risk of burnout, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.90 for those affected.

Peer support is a crucial factor in reducing burnout among physicians after adverse events, as those who received such support had a lower risk of burnout (adjusted odds ratio of 0.65), highlighting the importance of fostering supportive environments in healthcare.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Multispecialty Physician Online Survey Reveals That Burnout Related to Adverse Event Involvement May Be Mitigated by Peer Support. Gupta, K., Rivadeneira, NA., Lisker, S., et al.[2023]

Among 340 internal medicine residents studied over four years, blood and body fluid (BBF) exposures were relatively rare, with only 7.6% reporting such incidents, indicating a generally safe training environment.

However, motor vehicle incidents were common, with 56% of residents reporting incidents, and factors like fatigue, sleepiness, and lower quality of life were significantly associated with increased odds of these incidents, highlighting the need for interventions to address resident distress and fatigue for safety.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Association of resident fatigue and distress with occupational blood and body fluid exposures and motor vehicle incidents. West, CP., Tan, AD., Shanafelt, TD.[2022]

Comprehensive programs aimed at preventing physician burnout are becoming more common, focusing not just on reducing burnout but also on enhancing overall physician happiness and wellness.

These programs incorporate various strategies, such as measuring burnout levels, promoting workplace safety, optimizing compensation, and aligning individual and organizational goals, to create a supportive work environment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Quality and Safety in Healthcare, Part LVIII: Promoting Physician Happiness and Wellness. Harolds, JA.[2021]

A qualitative study involving 18 obstetrics and gynecology residents revealed that resilience in physicians is influenced by their professional identity, connections with others, and the surrounding personal and professional environments.

The findings suggest that enhancing physician resilience requires both individual skill-building programs and broader cultural interventions within the medical community to effectively support doctors in training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Physician resilience: a grounded theory study of obstetrics and gynaecology residents. Winkel, AF., Robinson, A., Jones, AA., et al.[2019]

A review of 10 studies on resilience interventions for physicians found that while some programs, particularly those involving mindfulness, showed promise in improving resilience, the results were mixed and not consistently effective across all studies.

Common limitations in the studies included self-selection bias and a lack of control groups, making it difficult to generalize the findings specifically to physicians and highlighting the need for further research to identify effective resilience-building strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Interventions to increase resilience in physicians: A structured literature review. Moorfield, C., Cope, V.[2021]

The THRIVE© program, which included an eight-hour retreat and a six-week social media group study, significantly improved resilience and reduced burnout among 164 oncology staff, primarily nurses, at a cancer hospital in Ohio.

Improvements in resilience were maintained for at least six months after participating in the program, highlighting the long-term benefits of self-care strategies for healthcare providers in high-stress environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The THRIVE© Program: Building Oncology Nurse Resilience Through Self-Care Strategies. Blackburn, LM., Thompson, K., Frankenfield, R., et al.[2021]

Burnout and depression among healthcare providers are rising, highlighting the urgent need for effective wellness programs to foster resiliency and well-being in future healthcare professionals.

The article outlines a residency wellness program with four core components—concrete resources, positive conversations, curriculum, and control—aimed at creating a culture of wellness, and mentions early efforts to empirically assess its impact across residency programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Creating a culture of wellness: conversations, curriculum, concrete resources, and control. Place, S., Talen, M.[2022]

A resilience program implemented at the Duke Eye Center revealed that 37% of surveyed staff reported emotional exhaustion, with higher burnout rates among those involved in clinical care, especially ophthalmic technicians.

Feedback indicated that the program, which included wellness tips and group discussions, was perceived to enhance collegiality and self-management skills, suggesting potential benefits for reducing burnout in healthcare settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An eye center-wide burnout intervention: resilience program and burnout survey. Rosdahl, JA., Kingsolver, K.[2022]

Resilience in obstetrics and gynecology residents is deeply connected to their personal and professional identities, which motivates them to overcome challenges in their training.

Building strong relationships with peers, mentors, and patients, along with engaging in self-care practices, significantly enhances resilience and helps residents cope with the stresses of their medical training.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Thriving in scrubs: a qualitative study of resident resilience. Winkel, AF., Honart, AW., Robinson, A., et al.[2018]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11639878/

The RISE (Resilience in Stressful Events) Peer Support ... RISE helps break the cycle of healthcare worker burnout by providing peer support for stresses at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10773242/

Physician Burnout: Evidence-Based Roadmaps to ... The purpose of this conceptual review is to present evidence-based innovative insights on contributing factors, mitigation, and designing adaptive systems to ...

3. ama-assn.org ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/burnout-eases-doctors-every-career-stage-support-rises

Burnout eases for doctors at every career stage as support ... Exclusive AMA survey data shows physician burnout rates are down, while job satisfaction and feeling valued have risen across all post-training years.

4. bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12913-025-12934-z

Effectiveness of wellness program interventions to improve ... Physician wellness programs are being implemented to offset rises in physician burnout. Insight into the effectiveness of these programs and ...

5. adventhealth.com adventhealth.com/medical/adventhealthmd/news/adventhealth-launches-research-study-evaluate-evidence-based-intervention-designed-address

AdventHealth Launches Research Study to Evaluate an ... A burnout intervention initially developed as an 8-week program for nurses, RISE provides education to improve coping and well-being by ...

6. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/386586894_The_RISE_Resilience_in_Stressful_Events_Peer_Support_Program_Creating_a_Virtuous_Cycle_of_Healthcare_Leadership_Support_for_Staff_Resilience_and_Well-Being

(PDF) The RISE (Resilience in Stressful Events) Peer ... RISE helps break the cycle of healthcare worker burnout by providing peer support for stresses at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

7. jhmhp.amegroups.org jhmhp.amegroups.org/article/view/6891/html

Analyses of burn-out among medical professionals and ... This paper will analyze the significant contributors to burnout, such as a lack of proper understanding, diversity and workplace factors, absence of ...

8. hopkinsmedicine.org hopkinsmedicine.org/armstrong-institute/training-services/caring-for-the-caregiver

Caring for the Caregiver: The RISE Program The Caring for the Caregiver program guides hospitals to set up peer-responder programs that deliver “psychological first aid and emotional support” to health ...

9. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6258067/

Physician Burnout, Well-being, and Work Unit Safety ... Among US physicians, burnout prevalence is estimated at greater than 50%, excessive fatigue is reported by 45%, and the suicide rate is 3- to 5-fold higher than ...