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(WILMINGTON, Del. – December 1, 2023) ChristianaCare is investing $1 million in local nonprofit organizations to improve health for communities in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. Announced during a special event Thursday at Ezion Fair Baptist Church in Wilmington’s Southbridge neighborhood, the funding was given to 19 nonprofits through ChristianaCare’s Community Investment Fund. The fund supports partnerships to build the collective capacity of communities to address social, behavioral and environmental factors that impact health. “In order to improve health equity and accelerate progress in addressing the social drivers of health, we need partners,” said Bettina Tweardy Riveros, chief public affairs officer and chief health equity officer at ChristianaCare. “While ChristianaCare provides excellent health care, we also understand that we are not the experts on every social driver of health. And that’s why we are committed to strengthening these organizations and enhancing their ability to make a positive impact. Together, we are creating health in the neighborhoods and communities we serve.” As an anchor institution in the community, ChristianaCare invests in community health improvement programs as a core component of its community benefit activities. To date, ChristianaCare has provided more than $4 million to 52 community organizations through its Community Investment Fund, which was established in 2019. This year’s awardees received funding to support community health improvement initiatives in high-need communities to address a diverse array of health-related needs, including safe housing, access to nutritious food – and even climate change, which the White House recently highlighted as a social driver of health. One of the organizations that received a grant is Delaware Humanities, which provides educational and cultural opportunities to help Delawareans gain a deeper understanding of human identity. The Wilmington, Del.-headquartered nonprofit will use its grant to develop environmental justice toolkits designed to inspire, facilitate and guide conversations about the importance of environmental issues in Delaware. “Major focus areas at our organization include health and environment, which impact human behavior and our collective sense of well-being,” said Michele Anstine, executive director of Delaware Humanities. “ChristianaCare’s grant will help us empower our communities so they can more truly understand the deep connection between health and their environment and its profound impact on the human experience.” Good Neighbors Home Repair, headquartered in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, received a grant to expand its free home repair services to houses for low-income households, making their homes safer, healthier and more livable. “Many of the houses that we repair belong to people who are coming home after a hospital discharge,” said Brad Dunn, advancement director for Good Neighbors Home Repair. “They often are returning to homes with broken handrails and misshapen steps but are unable to pay for repairs because they live on fixed incomes. We are deeply appreciative that ChristianaCare is supporting our efforts to provide services that keep our clients safe, healthy and at home.” Recipients were selected based on the quality of their proposals and implementation plans, and on the alignment of their proposals with the key priorities of ChristianaCare’s Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Health Implementation Plan. The funded initiatives will be implemented throughout the upcoming year. The 19 latest Community Investment Fund recipients are: AIDS Delaware. Bayside Community Network, Inc. Children & Families First. Cornerstone West CDC. Deep Roots, Inc. Delaware 211. Delaware Center for Justice. Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Delaware Humanities. Delaware Interfaith Power & Light. Good Neighbors Home Repair. Green Beret Project. Healthy Food for Healthy Kids. Project New Start. Saint Patrick'’s Center. Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. The Resurrection Center. YMCA of Delaware. YWCA Delaware.
The Georgia Southern University Soldier Performance and Readiness (SPAR) program received a $1.5 million, two-year grant from the Department of Defense’s U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC). The grant will expand Georgia’s Southern research and programming capacity in injury prevention techniques that ensure force readiness for the Army. “Through this large-scale research study, Georgia Southern doctoral students have opportunities to be involved in the research process and work directly with soldiers,” said Nancy Henderson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. “Additionally, the grant will fund graduate assistant positions in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.” USAMRDC’s mission is to provide solutions to medical problems for American service members at home and abroad, as well as to the public at large. The scope of this effort and the priorities attached to specific projects are influenced by changes in military and civilian medical science and technology, operational requirements, military threat assessments and national defense strategies. Extramural research and development programs play a vital role in the fulfillment of the objectives established by the organization. Research and development funded through this are intended to benefit both military and civilian medical practices. “The grant investigates different physical training programs to identify those practices that best prevent non-combat injuries,” said Henderson. “Faculty on the research team will seek to advance the body of literature by determining the best educational models to educate soldiers on injury-prevention topics.” This is the first time that Georgia Southern will act as lead investigator on a collaborative research project with an Army research institute. However, SPAR has long been involved in multiple branches of research with community impact. “Georgia Southern has several initiatives underway to help improve the health, fitness and performance of military service members, law enforcement personnel and firefighting and rescue personnel,” said Joseph Kardouni, Ph.D., director of the Tactical Performance Group. “The Tactical Athlete Certificate (TAC) program is one of these initiatives that teaches service members exercise fundamentals to help mitigate training-related injuries. The funding coming through Medical Research and Development Command will improve evidence-based teaching methods and inform similar efforts to teach service members within this field. Leaders from health and human performance programs within the Army understand the importance of leveraging partnerships with academic institutions to work toward improving the quality of life, health and occupational performance of soldiers.” Faculty and students in the DPT program have educated soldiers on injury prevention topics since 2016 and this grant further provides students with the opportunity to assess effectiveness while learning how to improve educational methods with military service members. “This research is an important next step in delivering on the promise of the SPAR program and Georgia Southern’s close working relationship with Army research partners,” said Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development Christopher Curtis, Ph.D. Curtis also noted that funding was made possible by the advocacy of U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter and the strong support of Georgia’s legislative delegation in Washington D.C. Interested in learning more or looking to talk with Nancy Henderson? Simply click on her icon now or Contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Three strategies for dealing with toxic positivity in the workplace
Every workplace needs its cheerleaders who work lift their teammates up when the chips are down. But sometimes things really are that bad, and according to UD career expert Jill Gugino Panté, if that’s not acknowledged and dealt with, the situation will go further south. Panté, director of the Lerner Career Services Center at the University of Delaware, offered three tips for dealing with what is known as “toxic positivity.” Don’t force it. One example of toxic positivity in the workplace is always having to display and present positive emotions even when you might be feeling the opposite. So, feelings of frustration, anger or sadness are not acceptable on any given day. Forcing this type of toxic positivity can actually do the opposite and create feelings of resentment and burnout. Share with your supervisor. As an employee in this environment where toxic positivity runs rampant, you may want to have a one-on-one conversation with your supervisor to discuss the culture and ramifications of not being able to display authentic emotions. Perhaps letting your supervisor know that there are negative feelings festering under the “positive outside” that should be addressed. If you don’t feel comfortable going to your supervisor, find an advocate within the organization. And if you feel brave enough, try playing devil’s advocate in a meeting and state that discussing all angles could be helpful in problem solving. Be proactive with direct reports. Another example of toxic positivity is that everything, no matter the situation, is going to be alright. Sometimes situations are not going to turn out for the better. Sometimes situations are awful and horrible and people need to be allowed to feel that way. This constant “look on the bright side” can diminish a person’s experiences and feelings. It silences those who want to be able to express outrage, anger or sadness and doesn’t provide a supportive workplace. Eliminating this behavior starts at the top with creating an environment where people feel safe to express dissenting opinions or feelings. Panté is available for interviews. To set one up, simply click on her profile.
Ask Our Expert: Why it’s important to get a flu vaccination
As cold and flu season approaches, it’s time to take proactive steps to ensure the health and well-being of everyone. Getting a flu vaccination is be the best defense in staying healthy this time of year. Klaus Ley, MD, founding co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, part of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, emphasizes the significance of getting vaccinated against the flu. “The flu can have serious consequences and by getting vaccinated, you protect yourself and those around you,” Ley said. “It’s a simple yet effective way to prevent the spread of this contagious virus.” Flu vaccination is not only a responsible choice but also a crucial step in maintaining public health. The World Health Organization records about 1 billion cases of influenza each year. Severe cases often result in hospitalizations, contributing to up to 650,000 respiratory-related deaths globally. Worried about potential side effects from the vaccine? Ley said that’s a minor concern compared to the effects of the full-blown flu. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life-threatening allergic reactions to flu shots are very rare. While severe reactions are uncommon, it’s important to let your health care provider know if you have a history of allergy or severe reaction to vaccines before getting a flu shot. “Common side effects from a flu shot could include soreness or swelling at the site of the injection, headache, low-grade fever, nausea, muscle aches or fatigue. Those minor side effects are an indication your immune system is responding as it should to the vaccination. You will experience much more severe fever, aches and other symptoms if you catch the flu without being vaccinated against it,” said Ley. Klaus Ley, MD, is the Georgia Research Alliance Bradley Turner Eminent Scholar in Immunology, founding co-director of the Immunology Center of Georgia, and a professor in the Department of Physiology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. He's available to speak with media regarding flu season and vaccinations - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
'Shake it Off' - Do Grammy-Winning Pop Artists Take More Creative Risks Than Their Runners-Up?
Taylor Swift has had a career marked by an evolution in sound and style. Swift emerged into the industry a country star and was later rebranded a pop icon. She’s gone on to explore alternative rock and indie folk sounds. Research by Giacomo Negro, professor of Organization & Management and professor of Sociology (by courtesy), suggests Grammy award wins may be credited as the catalyst for these changes. Swift, who holds 11 Grammy awards, won her first in 2010, taking home Album of the Year for country album “Fearless,” then again for her first exclusively pop album “1989” and again in 2021 for her indie folk album “Folklore.” Each time she earned another Grammy, she tried something new. Swift is not the only one. After winning Album of the Year in 1988 for classic arena rock album “The Joshua Tree,” U2 released “Achtung Baby,” an album that dabbled with kraut rock and electronic music. Similarly, Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” won them Album of the Year in 1978, after which, they released their double album “Tusk,” an experimental record that incorporated punk-rock. Does Missing out on a Grammy Win Make Artists Timid? Negro’s research shows Grammy award winners tend to release albums that are more distinct from the work of other artists, whereas Grammy nominees who do not win create music that is more similar to other artists than they had prior to their nomination. Negro co-authored the research with Balázs Kovács from Yale University and Glenn Carroll from Stanford University–a culmination of more than five years of work. Negro says he has always been interested in cultural production, and he set out to study the patterns of differentiation in the music market. He chose the Grammys because these symbolic awards provide a situation similar to a natural experiment that is hard to find in real life or without a controlled environment. The Grammys are also unique because they share the names of both the award winners and the nominees, presenting a comparison among candidates of similar quality. To explore this question, Negro obtained data from four main sources: Grammy Awards Academy, online music database AllMusic, Spotify, and Billboard. From the academy information, he collected data for the Grammy nominated artists and winners from 1959 to 2018 in four “general” categories: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year,and Best New Artist. From AllMusic, they collected data based on the Grammy information that included artist name, recording name, year of release, record labels the artists released the music with, the production team they worked with, and the stylistic tags attached to each recording. Spotify holds a repository of popular songs; from here, they sourced data on the songs’ sonic features, which are the objective parameters of the music that qualify how the music sounds and is measured by algorithms, including tempo, genre, and key. Looking at the Billboard charts for the 2000s, they found the most albums that sold the most copies. “We combined all of this information coming from different sources, which was a challenge and an endeavor by itself, to attach information related to styles, sonic features, performance on the chart, and performance with the awards,” Negro says. They compared albums of Grammy winners with the albums of the nominees, then compared these with albums from a group of artists in the general market matched on a series of characteristics (such as genre and length of recording career). The researchers found that after artists win a Grammy, they become more experimental with their work, whereas the runners-up make music that is stylistically more conventional. This latter result was unexpected. Negro argues that there is value to be seen in the Grammys–even though it may be criticized for being too commercial or questioned for its relevance–because it has an impact on the music market and the careers of artists who are nominated and awarded. “These prizes celebrate creativity and innovation but may have unintended consequences in terms of their artists’ behavior,” he adds. “If more people become more conventional because of not receiving an award, one implication for cultural production is that awards have mixed impact. They benefit winners because they afford them more autonomy and, perhaps, confidence to explore new ideas, but they don’t necessarily benefit innovation in the field overall because more artists are just becoming more conventional.” He offers that, conversely, there may be a positive impact for artists who were not nominated at all. These artists may try to imitate the winners and try different things in the future. From this, it is clear that there is a benefit to mention who wins an award, but he says it is inconclusive whether there is a benefit to sharing the names of shortlisted candidates. What are the Greater Cultural Implications? “It’s interesting to observe how cultural production is sensitive to symbolic awards,” Negro says. “We tend to think that artists mainly follow their muse or their inspiration, but they respond to the stimuli around them.” Negro speculates that the results found in this study might apply to other industries in which producers or artists can combine different elements of styles to create their products, such as book publishing, visual arts, film, or television. He adds, these results may apply more generally to other markets and professional settings, in which employers create programs of rewards for employees. A bestowal of such awards may empower winners to continue with their behaviors, while discouraging those who were not recognized for their efforts, leading them to return to more typical behaviors. Negro is interested in following up this research by looking at the general impact of all Grammy Awards–not just the general ones–to see if specialized awards have a similar impact. He is also curious to investigate the patterns of collaboration between artists, and if stylistic changes are related to changes in the people artists work with. When Business Meets Research, What Can Students Take Away? Negro says this research also yielded findings that his team did not expect, as in the difference between winners and non-winning nominees. Where they thought they may see similarities, they, instead, saw differences, reiterating the importance of questioning how industries operate. To inquisitive students he advises, “Keep your eyes open and be curious about understanding why or how things work the way they do. Then, be persistent because it can take a long time to bring your idea to fruition.” Interested in knowing more or connecting with Giacomo Negro - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview or time today.
Promoting your expertise just got easier with a host of new platform features. Well the world’s best platform for Expertise Marketing just got even better! We’ve just released the latest release of ExpertFile and it’s huge. Our newly designed, mobile-ready platform provides the most intuitive, collaborative solution for creating, managing, and showcasing your experts and insights. Whether you are managing content directly on your website or promoting it through one of our powerful distribution channels like our expertfile.com search engine used by leading media outlets, you will find a lot of great new features packed into this release. With a host of new and enhanced features, streamlined workflows and more advanced analytics we’ve made showcasing your expertise, capturing valuable inquiries, and tracking your results easier than ever. You will see some exciting improvements that enable you to create highly customizable, searchable directories and media-rich profiles and content features to sharing valuable expert insights with detailed Posts and Q&A. Built for marketing and communications professionals and compatible with your current systems we continue to take the burden out of managing your expert content, and eliminate the need for ongoing, costly or time-consuming IT projects. The following highlights some of the great new features and functionality that can be found across the platform. We hope you take a moment to explore the new ExpertFile. And please let us know what you think! Cheers, Robert ------------ Robert Carter Co-Founder & VP Product | ExpertFile A Quick Tour of What's New with the ExpertFile Platform Home Screen Experience the power of the ExpertFile Platform from the moment you log in. The *NEW* Home Screen is your gateway to a wealth of essential information related to your account, key analytics, recent activities and more. With intuitive menus and a new universal search bar for easy discovery, the Home tab is your jumping off point for effortlessly exploring all your expert content and quickly connecting with valuable inquiries. Our refined layout features clear tab structures, quick action buttons and links making it a breeze to create and manage your experts and their insights, whether creating detailed media-rich profiles, insightful posts, Q&A or other featured content. Plus, gain valuable insights and optimize your expertise marketing strategy with convenient access to resource links and tools to grow your online presence both on your website, through Google or by one of our powerful distribution channels. New Home Screen features include: Quick action buttons to access all frequent activities Universal search capabilities for all your expert content User/license overview Analytics summary Recent content & login activity People Tab Manage your experts and your team through the People tab. Quickly add users and create captivating mobile-ready profiles that showcase their knowledge and thought-provoking content. Effortlessly update experts profiles using our user-friendly inline editor or take advantage of bulk actions to make changes across your entire team. Easily create and assign your experts to categories and tags enhancing discovery and building of custom directories and featured content. Transition profiles seamlessly from drafts to public visibility, or establish private password-protected viewing for exclusive restricted access directories and targeted profile outreach. Build the perfect support network. Manage your experts, their content, and inquiries with ease, while collaborating with diverse teams. With unlimited admins and agent users, we allow for more efficient management and better visibility across your entire roster of experts or within specific groups of experts. Easily add users from a diverse range of departments such as marketing communications, digital, research, analyst relations, and more to help maintain fresh and engaging expert content and ensure you never miss valuable inquiries. Assign agents to make edits or handle inquiries on an expert or multiple experts behalf. Extend your reach with access to leading tools for leveraging your experts, including easy export functionality and variety of integrations options for your website and with external platforms. New People Tab features include: New user setup enhancements Streamlined profile status options Advanced filtering capabilities People specific activity log Post Tab The Post tab is the starting point for sharing your organization’s insights on current news, trending topics and more by creating shareable Posts that connect back to your experts. Interactive and mobile-ready, Posts let you quickly deliver expert, SEO friendly content to your audiences on any device at any time. Quick links allow you to create drafts including using our new AI Brainstorming feature to help generate ideas and initial drafts. For more interaction with your expert Posts streamline content discovery and expand your content distribution capabilities by tagging your Posts. Whether you choose to publish immediately or schedule for future release, you have the flexibility to align your content with breaking news, important announcements, cyclical trends or your marketing calendar. Finally increase the power of Posts by assigning individual experts to each post to better connect your insights to your experts, driving more profiles views and valuable inquiries. New Post Tab features include: Quick create button with AI brainstorming Advanced filtering capabilities Bulk action management options Connected “experts” visibility Enhanced tag management Post specific activity log Q&A Tab The Q&A tab makes leveraging the power of Q&A easy. Deliver insights through expert curated Q&A, either with a single question and answer from an expert or organization, or allow for multiple experts to provide a variety of answers. By connecting your answer to your experts, you’ll drive profile views and capture valuable inquiries. Streamline content discovery and expand your content distribution capabilities by tagging your Q&A. New Q&A Tab features include: Quick create button Advanced filtering capabilities Bulk action management options Connected “experts” visibility Enhanced tag management Q&A specific activity log Analytics Tab Track your performance with the customizable features of the new Analytics Tab. Access current metrics across all important areas from your people to Posts, Q&A and inquiries. Define your view by type and time period. Quickly export your monthly PDF reports or create custom exports to allow for detailed reporting that matches your organization’s reporting cycles. Easily export all your metrics to create additional reports in other systems you currently use. New Analytics Tab features Include Content-type specific reporting Date range filtering Customizable graphing capabilities Enhanced data exports Downloadable monthly reports Bulk actions & Filtering Inquiries Tab The Inquiries tab provides access to all the capabilities you need for viewing, managing and responding to your opportunities. The layout lets you quickly understand the nature of your incoming inquiries whether they’re related to media, speaking, research, customer/business requests and more. Quickly view key details of all incoming inquiries including time-sensitive requests that require immediate follow-up. Activate only the type of inquiries you’re looking to receive through our inquiry type setup. At the same time keep unwanted messages away from your experts with our AI Quarantine function that monitors all your incoming inquiries and proactively blocks messages that can be reviewed later. Ensure total visibility with our mailing list functionality that enables inquiries to be seen by type beyond the specific setup for each expert. New Inquiry Tab features include: Enhanced AI Quarantine protection Organization wide blocking Network level blocking Enhanced inquiry filtering Inquiry specific activity log Settings The new Settings section provides easier more intuitive access to a wide variety of account customizations and system settings to tailor your implementation. This includes access to integration options from Custom API to Embeds and our WordPress plugin. New Settings Section features Include Enhanced brand management capabilities Improved asset uploader Refined layout New “Customer Success” resources
ChristianaCare Launches a New Speakers Bureau: Is This the Future of Healthcare Communications?
Only just a few months after their win of an IABC Gold Quill Award (shared with ExpertFile), the ChristianaCare healthcare communications and digital team has once again made major moves to make their organization even more accessible to the community with the launch of their new ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau. As one of the leading healthcare systems in the United States, Delaware based ChristianaCare is home to a wide variety of medical experts. Now live, the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau features 80 experts who are currently available for speaking engagements on a wide variety of health topics including: Aging and Senior Health, Cancer, Children’s Health, COVID-19, Diabetes, Pregnancy and Childbirth. Sports Medicine, Stroke, Weight Management and Women’s Health. Designed with the ExpertFile platform, the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau provides easy discovery and access to experts, including their biographies, downloadable photographs, samples of past presentations, languages spoken and more. The site can be viewed here. Screenshot from the new ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau launched Aug. 2023. The site provides easy discovery and access to experts, with the ability to search by topics and keywords. Detailed profiles for experts include biographies, downloadable photographs, samples of past presentations, languages spoken and more. How a Speakers Bureau boosts thought leadership A Speaker's Bureau is an initiative within an organization that assembles a team of expert speakers who can represent the organization and speak authoritatively on its behalf. While media appearances are often the core focus for experts in organizations, a Speakers Bureau opens up additional opportunities to speak at events such as in-person conferences, webinars, podcasts. Speakers ideally represent a diverse group of professionals from within the organization, and can share their knowledge, insights, and experiences on a range of topics relevant to the organization's mission, values, and field of work. Through event appearances, these experts help to enhance the organization's visibility, foster community engagement, and solidify the organization's reputation as a thought leader in its field. Speakers Bureaus provide effective and efficient way to promote the organization's initiatives, achievements, and viewpoints to the wider public. Creating New Connections Between Experts and the Community Following a string of successes that followed the launch of their ChristianaCare Experts site that resulted in major increases in national media coverage and SEO performance, the formation of a Speakers Bureau was a smart move that will further extend the reach of the ChristianaCare brand. Events provide an excellent way to connect meaningfully with a wider audience to help ChristianaCare make progress on key goals such as delivering effective community health education and improving healthcare equity. “At ChristianaCare, our mission of service to the community includes a commitment to provide timely, accurate health information so that people can make informed decisions about their health,” said Karen Browne, vice president of marketing and communications. “Through our new speakers bureau, we’ve expanded our capacity to meet these needs in the community.” The Benefits of a Speakers Bureau Given the fragmentation of traditional media channels and the massive growth in events such as webinars and podcasts, Speakers Bureaus are fast gaining popularity as a proven way to personify your organization and build a stronger connection to your brand. So far the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau appears to be off to a solid start. "We had a huge response to our media release when we launched earlier this week and in the first day alone we had multiple organizations sending speaking opportunities for our medical experts. We're also seeing a great response internally as more of our experts requested to join the Speakers Bureau once it went live," said Hiran Ratnayake, Senior Manager of Media Relations at ChristianaCare who played a key role in developing the Speakers Bureau with his colleagues Shane Hoffman, Communications Director and Tom Hendrich - Senior Digital Content Editor at ChristianaCare. Is a Speakers Bureau Right For Your Organization? Here are some key benefits to consider in determining if a speakers bureau makes sense for your organization: Bolsters Community Engagement: An active Speaker's Bureau helps create a bridge between your organization and the community you serve. Promotes Diversity and Inclusion: A Speaker's Bureau offers an exciting opportunity to showcase the diverse voices and unique experiences within your organization. Enhances Organizational Visibility: The increased exposure at events can lead to greater recognition in the industry, more opportunities for collaborations, and ultimately, a wider reach for your healthcare services. It also is a proven way to boost SEO pagerank and domain authority in search engines and also provides a lot of additional content for your social channels. Develops Professional Skills: For healthcare professionals who participate, a Speakers Bureau offers an excellent opportunity to develop public speaking skills, foster leadership abilities, and establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective fields. Facilitates Knowledge Sharing: A Speaker's Bureau cultivates a more dynamic learning environment, which can lead to new ideas, innovations, and improved patient care within your organization. Strengthens Crisis Management Readiness: Having a pool of trained speakers ready to contribute can be incredibly beneficial in times of crisis. These professionals can help your communications team more effectively communicate critical information to the public, media, and other stakeholders. Enhances Employee Engagement: Employees who are given the opportunity to share their knowledge and represent their organization publicly, often feel more valued and invested in their work. Going Beyond the Walls of Your Medical Facility In the constantly evolving world of healthcare, accurate and timely information is critical to informed patient decisions and effective treatments. Organizations such as ChristianaCare understand that their role as a prominent healthcare system is to deliver information that extends beyond their immediate medical responsibilities. It’s simply no longer adequate to provide care within the walls of a medical facility. Today there is a critical demand for a more engaged approach, requiring hospitals and healthcare systems to leverage their in-house expertise for community education. A more informed community, armed with knowledge, which can make empowered decisions about their healthcare. While the public has an abundance of medical information at their fingertips, to help them participate more actively in their healthcare, much of the information found on social media today often lacks clarity, context, and credibility, leading to confusion and misinterpretations. Healthcare experts, leaders, and executives can play a pivotal role in dispelling myths and offering credible, evidence-based insights. An engaged, approachable healthcare professional is a reassuring sight, reinforcing the community’s faith in the system. It’s a win-win for these experts and the healthcare institution they represent. And most importantly it's a win for the communities they serve, as people identify potential health issues earlier, adopt healthier lifestyles, and reduce emergency hospital visits. This puts less burden on the region’s healthcare system, and better utilizes resources to reach a broader audience. After all, healthcare is not just about curing the sick; it’s about educating, engaging, and empowering the community for a healthier future. Congratulations to the entire team at ChristianaCare for creating such a valuable resource for your community. And thank you for letting us be a part of this exciting journey.
For the second consecutive time, ChristianaCare has earned the Joy in Medicine™ recognition from the American Medical Association (AMA). ChristianaCare earned Gold Level recognition, the highest level of recognition in the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program. It was one of only 10 health systems nationwide to achieve Gold Level. The recognition underscores ChristianaCare’s demonstrated commitment to the well-being of clinical care team members. “Receiving the Joy in Medicine Award the first time was certainly an honor, but achieving gold level status a second time is an even greater achievement, as the requirements are more exacting,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “It is a testament to the fact that at ChristianaCare and our Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, we are not comfortable resting on our laurels. We continue to raise the bar in our efforts to support the well-being of our caregivers, effectively respond to the changing health care landscape and foster an environment where each of our caregivers can thrive.” Continued Excellence in Support of Caregivers In 2022, ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing launched Psychological First Aid training to help organization leaders build skills to identify and support colleagues impacted by stress. More than half of ChristianaCare leaders completed the training in 2022. The training is now available to all caregivers. In addition, ChristianaCare’s peer support program, known as Care for the Caregiver, offers confidential individual peer support and group support following a range of stressful events at work. The program completed nearly 2,500 encounters from 2015 to 2022. ChristianaCare also has established the Workplace Civility Steer Team, which provides strategic direction in establishing an environment that is safe and free of violence for caregivers, patients and visitors. The team performs this through program and process development for the identification, prevention and response to workplace violence, a challenge increasingly faced by health care workers nationwide. “Health organizations that have earned recognition from the AMA’s Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program are leading a national movement that has declared the well-being of health professionals to be an essential element for providing high-quality care to patients, families and communities,” said AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H. “Each Joy in Medicine recognized organization is distinguished as among the nation’s best at creating a culture of wellness that makes a difference in the lives of clinical care teams.” Burnout rates among the nation’s physicians and other health care professionals spiked dramatically as the COVID-19 pandemic placed acute stress on care teams and exacerbated long-standing systemic issues. While the worst days of the pandemic have passed, the lingering impact of work-related burnout remains an obstacle to achieving national health goals. Since its inception in 2019, the Joy in Medicine™ Health System Recognition Program has recognized more than 100 organizations across the country. In 2023, a total of 72 health systems nationwide earned recognition with documented efforts to reduce system-level drivers of work-related burnout and demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork and support.
Bridget Melton, Ed.D., professor in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern University, is part of a team awarded $1.1 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with a study aimed to promote wellness in firefighters and first responders. Melton is collaborating with researchers at the University of Kentucky as part of a three-year study that builds on a decade of foundational work by Melton and the Tactical Athlete Initiative team in the Waters College of Health Professions, College of Education and the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. The grant will help the researchers assist firefighters with injury mitigation, better work outcomes and reduction in financial burdens. “Our tactical research team has collaborated with our local fire department, Statesboro Fire Department, to create an industry-leading integrated health approach to firefighter wellness,” stated Melton. “In this model, the firefighter’s health and wellness is prioritized in a cost-effective approach.” The integrative approach brings the best human performance practices to first responders, infusing strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, nutrition specialists and mental skill experts. A handful of agencies nationwide are beginning to embrace this integrated approach. Even with the model’s success, there is still limited research on benefits to the firefighter, health care costs and the organization with this new model, Melton noted. “The goal of the FEMA study is to provide agencies and government officials with evidence supporting the model,” she said. “We want to be able to demonstrate to these individuals that their return on investment will be worth it, as firefighters using the model will sustain fewer injuries; therefore, the agency’s financial burden will be reduced.” Looking to know more - we can help. To connect with Bridget Melton from Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology at Georgia Southern - simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Sixers' summer soap opera: What the Harden-Morey rift can teach us about organizational dynamics
Did star point guard James Harden quit on the Philadelphia 76ers? Or did general manager Daryl Morey break his promise that a large contract would be coming his way after the former MVP took a pay cut last season? As is almost always the case, the answer sits somewhere in the middle, and that's a complicated place for it to be. But Kyle Emich, professor of management at the University of Delaware, said there are lessons in the latest Sixers' offseason debacle that can be applied to teams and culture in the workplace: When you are part of an organization, you need to feel what's called "task significance" to be motivated to do your job. This means that you need to feel that your job has a positive impact on the organization or broader society. The problems between Harden and Morey indicate that, although playing for the fans may give him some motivation, he no longer believes that the organization is a positive entity. This will greatly decrease his motivation, which influences practice and on-the-court performance (assuming he goes back on his threat to return). There is an even larger potential influence on things he is not paid for, but that are very important for the 76ers (such as informal mentoring of players like rising star Tyrese Maxey; acting as a role model (e.g., arriving early/leaving late), giving the organization positive press and his presence and demeanor at training camp (which he says he won't attend). Whether or not people realize it, organizations are emotional environments. Different emotions do different things and this sense of betrayal and anger is likely to make Harden actively move against the Sixers. This is obviously not ideal. Because Harden is a role model, we need to also be aware of emotional contagion. It is possible teammates will look at the front office with increased scrutiny, which will harm any new players brought in or anyone affected by front office moves. Emich is available for interviews, and can be contacted directly by clicking on his profile.
