Provider Wellness Program
Baptist Health Medical Group Honored by AMA for Commitment to Provider Well-Being
Baptist Health Medical Group has earned bronze-level recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA) as a Joy in Medicine® organization.
The Medical Group is one of four health organizations in Kentucky and 164 nationwide that hold 2024–25 or 2025–26 recognition. Four Indiana organizations are also among this distinguished group.
The Joy in Medicine® Health System Recognition Program was developed by the AMA to provide health systems with a clear framework for advancing physician well-being. By recognizing organizations that take concrete steps and implement process improvements to reduce burnout and strengthen meaning in medicine, the program helps guide leaders across the country in creating environments where clinicians can flourish.
Earning this award required Baptist Health Medical Group to meet rigorous standards across multiple domains, including commitment, assessment, efficiency of practice, teamwork, leadership, and support.
Commitment: Building Infrastructure for Physician Well-Being
At the heart of this recognition is the establishment of a formalized position of provider well-being, along with a well-being committee. This group works together to define priorities, set objectives, and track progress.
Baptist Health Medical Group conducted an organizational cost analysis of burnout using the AMA’s calculator, which estimates the financial impact of physician burnout and turnover. This analysis assists leadership in aligning resources to address the challenge.
Assessment: Measuring and Sharing Burnout Data
Baptist Health Medical Group has also completed a systemwide assessment of physician well-being twice within the past three years using a validated burnout survey tool, the AMA Organizational Biopsy.
These results were shared with participating physicians, reflecting the Medical Group’s belief that data must be both transparent and actionable.
Efficiency of Practice: Addressing EHR Burden
Time spent in the electronic health record (EHR) is considered one of the largest contributors to burnout. To better understand this challenge, the Medical Group conducted EHR audit log analyses across multiple specialties. Metrics included:
- Inbox time (IB-time)
- Note documentation time
- Total EHR time
- Work outside of work (WOW)
These results, reported by specialty rather than in aggregate, provide a more accurate picture of where challenges lie.
Teamwork
Operational aspects of teamwork and shared work were addressed through several questions in the AMA Organizational Biopsy. These questions explored staffing, delegation, team consistency, and cooperation to identify operational opportunities and highlight where physicians and staff were able to operate primarily at the “top of their licensure,” which helps mitigate burnout and distress.
Leadership: Listening to Physicians
A core element of the AMA’s criteria is leadership engagement through structured listening. Over the past 18 months, Baptist Health Medical Group launched a listening campaign specifically designed to hear physicians' concerns about systemic drivers of burnout and other issues that are most important to them.
These sessions go beyond routine meetings, creating safe spaces to discuss workflow inefficiencies, administrative burdens, and cultural pressures. Insights from these conversations are now shaping improvement strategies at both the local and systemwide levels.
Support: Reducing Stigma in Credentialing
Baptist Health Medical Group is working to align its credentialing language with national best practices to reduce stigma around physician mental health.
Discussions to remove invasive or stigmatizing questions about past mental health or substance use treatment are underway in collaboration with the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes' Foundation, the Kentucky Medical Association, the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure, and the AMA. This alignment requires a change in the Kentucky Evaluation for Provider Evaluation and Reevaluation (KAPER) form.
This proposed shift in language underscores Baptist Health Medical Group's belief that seeking help should never be a barrier to professional advancement.
Looking Forward
Future opportunities for Baptist Health Medical Group include building on the current infrastructure, deepening specialty-specific improvements, and pursuing higher levels of recognition to ensure the organization remains on the right path.
Baptist Health Medical Group is honored to be recognized by the American Medical Association for our efforts to improve physician satisfaction and engagement. We will continue to prioritize physician well-being, creating a physician-focused culture that allows them to thrive in their career.
