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Expertfile Spotlight on National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being

Oct 12, 2022

3 min

ChristianaCare Participates in National Academy of Medicine National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being and Calls for Collective Movement to Address Burnout Crisis


The capacity and well-being of the U.S. health workforce has been under threat for years by an epidemic of burnout, and two years of the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this systems issue. Now at least 40% of nurses, 20% of physicians, and more than 25% of state and local public health department employees are considering leaving their professions. Recognizing that the function of the U.S. health system is at stake due to dangerously mounting health care system pressures, the National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being by the National Academy of Medicine calls for immediate action to safeguard this precious national resource dedicated to protecting the country’s health. ChristianaCare is proud to have contributed this publication.


“The NAM Clinician Well-Being Collaborative’s National Plan for Health Workforce Well-Being will drive urgently needed collective action to strengthen health workforce well-being and reverse existing alarming trends in burnout and turnover,” said ChristianaCare Chief Wellness Officer Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, FACEP. “ChristianaCare has served as a strategic network partner with the NAM to design this National Plan, which will coordinate action across several priority areas, including understanding the effects of COVID-19 on the health care workforce, recruiting of the next generation, and increasing access to much-needed mental health resources.”


The National Plan calls on multiple actors to work together to drive policy and systems change to better support the health workforce and the health of all communities – including health care and public health leaders, government, payers, industry, educators, and leaders in other sectors. A draft of the National Plan was made available for public feedback and received nearly 2,000 constructive comments. To date the final Plan has received endorsements from over 25 organizations representing the diverse organizational membership of the Clinician Well-Being Collaborative and the various actors needed to collectively advance the practical strategies laid out in the Plan – including ChristianaCare.


ChristianaCare has been engaged in all National Plan priority areas, such as:

  • The creation and sustaining of positive work and learning environments and culture. Efforts in this priority area include development of the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing, which utilizes a comprehensive, multimodal approach to foster caregiver work-life meaning, connection, and joy. The Center offers multiple support services and culture change initiatives, including the implementation of resident well-being rounds, OASIS rooms for caregiver restoration, and opportunities for caregivers to develop long-standing mutual support systems.
  • The support of mental health and reduction of mental health stigma, which included the championing of the physician mental health bill that became law this year. It also includes psychological first aid training that ChristianaCare has implemented for health system leaders and managers. Additionally, ChristianaCare offers free comprehensive behavioral health support services and an individual peer and group support program to help caregivers when they experience stress in the workplace.
  • The commitment to well-being as a long-term value, which includes integration of caregiver collective well-being as a systemwide strategic goal.


The National Plan visualizes that, when all actors take responsibility, we can create a health system in which care is delivered with joy and with meaning, by a committed care team, in partnership with engaged patients and communities. The National Plan identifies a range of actions for the near-, medium-, and long-term to achieve seven priority areas for health workforce well-being, clearly naming associated goals and responsible actors. Access the full National Plan here to learn more about the priority areas for action.


For more information on the Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, of which ChristianaCare is a member, visit this site.


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Maureen “Mo” Leffler, D.O., MPH, has been appointed chief wellbeing officer of ChristianaCare, effective Nov. 25. In her role, Leffler leads the ChristianaCare Center for WorkLife Wellbeing and strategies to enhance the professional fulfillment and well-being of ChristianaCare’s nearly 14,000 caregivers, overseeing advocacy programs and initiatives to optimize their experience and foster a culture of well-being throughout the organization. She works closely with leaders across key departments to address factors impacting caregiver well-being. Leffler most recently served as the inaugural chief wellbeing officer at Nemours Children’s Health, where she helped the organization to achieve the 2022 Joy in Medicine distinction from the American Medical Association for prioritizing proven efforts to enhance the professional fulfillment of physicians. There, she established a Center for Associate Wellbeing; led the first systemwide assessment to strategically address well-being and burnout; and implemented a peer support program and expanded the scope of resources available to support the emotional and mental health needs of employees. In collaboration with organizational leaders, she supported targeted clinical team assessments and systems-based interventions to foster well-being. Prior to this role, Leffler served as a pediatric rheumatologist at Nemours and as an assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Rheumatology at Thomas Jefferson University. Since 2017, Leffler has served as the course director of the Chief Resident Leadership Training Program for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, she co-chaired ACGME’s National Task Force on Well-Being. She and her team developed a national graduate medical education well-being community, which she continues to convene, to understand the evolving challenges and share strategies to improve well-being. She represents the ACGME as a coach for the National Academy of Medicine Action Collaborative on Clinical Well-Being and Resilience. She also serves as a consultant to the Professional Satisfaction team at the American Medical Association. Leffler earned her medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, followed by a residency in pediatrics at Nemours and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where she served as chief resident. She subsequently trained in pediatric rheumatology at Nemours and Jefferson. She also earned a Master of Public Health from Temple University and studied chemistry at St. Joseph’s University. Recently, Leffler completed the Georgetown Executive Leadership Certification Program.

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ChristianaCare Will Establish New Health Care Campus in Aston, Delaware County, Pennsylvania

ChristianaCare has announced that Aston, PA will be the location for its next health care campus that will feature a neighborhood hospital and a health center. This is one of two facilities that ChristianaCare plans to open in Delaware County, as announced in February 2024. The hospital will be built in partnership with Emerus Holdings, Inc., the nation’s leading developer of neighborhood hospitals. The ChristianaCare Aston Campus, located at 700 Turner Industrial Way, is expected to open in the second half of 2026. The site was chosen based on a market assessment of historical and projected demographic data and health care service availability as well as a consumer survey, community input and feedback from elected officials and business leaders. The study identified gaps in health care accessibility, concluding that Aston would be an ideal location for a health campus. “We are thrilled to be bringing high quality health care services to our neighbors in Aston in Delaware County,” said Jennifer Schwartz, chief strategy officer at ChristianaCare. “Our goal is to make access to health care easy, convenient and close to home in a way that is sustainable and right-sized to meet the needs of the local community.” The neighborhood hospital will operate 24/7 with approximately 10 inpatient beds and an emergency department. The emergency department will treat common emergency care needs such as falls, injuries, heart attacks and strokes. The hospital will also provide diagnostic capabilities, including ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), X-ray and laboratory services. In addition to on-site staff, the hospital will benefit from access to virtual consults — such as neurology and cardiology — to support safe and effective care. ChristianaCare will add a health center on the second floor of the hospital offering outpatient services. These services will be developed based on community needs and are expected to include primary and specialty care practices plus an array of other clinical services. The announcement comes as construction is already under way on ChristianaCare’s first Pennsylvania neighborhood hospital, in West Grove, nearby in southern Chester County, which is projected to open mid-2025. Together, these three new campuses represent a new layer of care coming to southeastern Pennsylvania. ChristianaCare has been providing health care services to the residents of southeastern Pennsylvania for many years. Today, ChristianaCare offers primary care in three Chester County practices that are located in Jennersville, West Grove and Kennett Square. In addition, Concord Health Center in Chadds Ford, Delaware County, provides a wide array of services, including primary care, women’s health, sports medicine, behavioral health and more. Combined, ChristianaCare is now the medical home for 25,000 residents in these communities.

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Kert Anzilotti, M.D., Appointed President of the Medical Group of ChristianaCare

Kert Anzilotti, M.D., MBA, FACR has been appointed president of the Medical Group of ChristianaCare. Anzilotti has served as interim president since June 2024. He will also continue in his role as system chief medical officer of ChristianaCare. As president of the ChristianaCare Medical Group, Anzilotti will seek to improve every aspect of care for every person the Medical Group touches. He will focus on the optimization of care delivery, strategic visioning, network development, clinical technology implementation and leveraging medical informatics. Anzilotti will continue to develop new care models that transcend settings, promote value-based care and improve the patient experience across the clinical enterprise. Among his priorities are the adoption of population health measures, the embedding of health equity into care delivery and workforce development, further expansion of access points for patients and the continuous enhancement of patient and caregiver experience. “Dr. Anzilotti is exceptionally qualified to lead the Medical Group of ChristianaCare,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “His passion for our mission and vision for the future strength of our Medical Group is unwavering. Since joining ChristianaCare in 2011, Dr. Anzilotti has earned a well-deserved reputation as a thoughtful and collaborative leader.” Anzilotti has served in numerous leadership roles at ChristianaCare, including as chief medical officer, acute care; chair of the Department of Radiology; medical director of Imaging Services; and physician leader of the Neurosciences Service Line. He also previously served as Interim President and CEO for the eBrightHealth ACO with responsibility for physician leadership and network operations. He is board certified in Neuroradiology. “Over the many years I have been at ChristianaCare, I have had the privilege of witnessing the dedication and compassion of my Medical Group colleagues as we served together with love and excellence,” Anzilotti said. “I am honored to lead this incredible, dynamic group that is reshaping the future of care, ensuring everyone we serve can achieve their best health.” Anzilotti earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He earned his MBA at the University of Delaware, completed the Managing Health Care Delivery Course at Harvard Business School and graduated as Physician Executive Fellow in the Health Management Academy, GE Fellows Program. The Medical Group of ChristianaCare consists of over 2,200 dedicated doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other caregivers. This highly skilled team delivers exceptional care through ChristianaCare’s community-based primary care and specialty care practices serving Delaware and surrounding states. Additionally, the Medical Group collaborates with ChristianaCare hospitalists to ensure seamless continuity of care for our patients, from primary care to hospital care and back again.

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