Danville, Dad. Burnout and emotional exhaustion can happen to anyone, including doctors.
To help its employees, Geisinger Health System has appointed Susan Parisi, MD, as its first Chief Wellness Officer. In this position, Dr. Parisi work to provide mental health, professional fulfillment, and general wellness support for Geisinger employees.
In addition to supporting mental health services, she will oversee advocacy programs and initiatives to improve shared decision-making, professional satisfaction, autonomy, and a culture of professionalism and respect.
“Our employees are at the heart of everything we do,” said Janet Tomcavage, Geisinger’s Executive Vice President and Chief Nurse Officer. “As we strive to make better health easier for those we serve, we will continue to invest in our employees and create an engaging, supportive employee experience where everyone feels motivated and connected to their professional purpose. We are incredibly lucky to have had such an experienced and dedicated leader with Dr. Parisi, and I am confident she will help us strengthen our focus on the health and well-being of our Geisinger family.”
Geisinger created his Center for Professionalism and Well-being ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the crisis pushed the health system to accelerate its efforts to help health professionals with anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress.
“The crisis of emotional exhaustion and burnout on the health workforce is more important than ever — and it deserves our full attention,” said Dr. Parisi about her new duties. our Geisinger family to find new and better ways to build a culture that supports the well-being of all who dedicate their life to this work. When we create a culture that focuses on helping our teams thrive personally and professionally, we create a world-class experience for everyone: our employees, our patients and our members.”
dr. Parisi has three decades of healthcare experience and spent the early part of her career caring for patients in obstetrics and gynaecology. She has held leadership roles in several organizations, most recently as director of wellness for Nuvance Healthcare, where she worked to implement a strategic and collaborative wellness program for seven hospitals, a multispecialty group and 2,500 physicians throughout New York and Connecticut.
dr. Parisi attended the prestigious Stanford Chief Wellness Officer training, which she completed in 2019. In 2018, she completed a fellowship in integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Science with a concentration in genetics and development from Cornell University and her medical degree from New York Medical College. She serves on several boards and committees and is an active member of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
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