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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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New Study Finds Most Patients Can Safely Continue Weight Loss and Diabetes Drugs Before Gynecologic Surgery

Most patients taking popular weight loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy can safely continue them before gynecologic surgery, according to a new journal article from ChristianaCare published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. The review found that serious anesthesia risks linked to these drugs are uncommon for most patients and can usually be managed through individualized planning rather than stopping the medication. The paper is the first to take a focused look at glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, commonly called GLP-1 drugs, in gynecologic surgery. These medications were first approved to treat diabetes and are now widely used to support weight loss and metabolic health, which refers to how the body processes sugar and energy. “Our study shows that the evidence does not support routinely stopping these medications before surgery and that the actual risk is low for most patients,” said Michelle Pacis, M.D., MPH, senior author of the study and a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon at ChristianaCare. Why these medications raised concerns GLP-1 drugs work in part by slowing how quickly the stomach empties. This helps patients feel full longer, but it also raises concerns for surgery. Doctors worry that food remaining in the stomach could increase the risk of aspiration, when stomach contents enter the lungs during anesthesia. Because of this, early recommendations often advised stopping GLP-1 medications before surgery. The ChristianaCare review found that this approach was largely based on caution rather than strong evidence. The authors reviewed data from multiple studies, including large patient groups, that examined outcomes in people taking GLP-1 drugs during procedures. While some studies showed higher amounts of stomach contents, aspiration events were rare and occurred at rates similar to patients who were not taking the medications. New guidance reflects a change in thinking Recent national guidance from several medical societies now recommends a more tailored approach. Most patients can continue GLP-1 medications before surgery. For patients with higher risk factors, such as significant stomach symptoms or known delayed digestion, simple precautions can reduce risk. These precautions may include a clear liquid diet for 24 hours before surgery or closer monitoring during anesthesia. A clear liquid diet includes fluids like water, broth and clear juices. “This shift recognizes both the benefits of these medications and the importance of patient-specific decision making,” Pacis said. Why this matters for gynecologic surgery Many gynecologic surgeries require patients to be positioned in ways that can affect breathing and circulation. At the same time, many patients needing these procedures also have obesity or diabetes, which can increase surgical risk. GLP-1 medications can improve blood sugar control and support weight loss, helping patients enter surgery in better overall health and enhance recovery. Stopping these drugs without a clear reason may work against those benefits. Practical steps to support patient safety The study outlines several strategies care teams can use when patients remain on GLP-1 medications. These include thoughtful anesthesia planning, careful monitoring of heart and lung function, and, in select cases, the use of ultrasound to check stomach contents before surgery. “The goal is not to ignore risk, but to manage it wisely,” Pacis said. “For many patients, continuing these medications supports safer surgery and better recovery.” The authors note that more research is needed, particularly studies focused specifically on gynecologic surgery. Still, the findings offer clarity for patients and clinicians navigating a rapidly changing area of care. “This review helps bring evidence and balance to an issue that has caused a lot of confusion,” Pacis said. “It supports keeping patients on therapies that benefit their health whenever it is safe to do so.”

1 min

Two Research Scientists at the Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research Earn Top Honors at UD Biology Research Day

Two rising cancer researchers from ChristianaCare’s Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research were recognized for outstanding scientific contributions at the University of Delaware’s Annual Biology Research Day Conference on January 30, 2026. The awards highlight the strength and impact of colorectal cancer research underway at the Cawley Center. Anh Nguyen, a third year Ph.D. student, received the conference’s first place poster award for his project, “FGF19/FGFR4 Axis: A Key Driver in Tumor Growth and Treatment Resistance in Colorectal Cancer.” His research explores a signaling pathway that may lead to new strategies for targeting treatment resistant disease. Molly Lausten, a fifth year Ph.D. student, earned third place for her presentation, “Investigating the role of miR 27a 3p in the WNT signaling pathway and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer stem cells.” Her work examines a key microRNA that may influence resistance to therapy, a major challenge in treating aggressive tumors. “These awards reflect far more than individual excellence,” said Bruce M. Boman, M.D., Ph.D., MSPH, FACP, senior scientist and director of Cancer Genetics at the Cawley Center. “They show the power of rigorous, curiosity driven science to move the field forward. Molly and Anh are tackling some of the hardest questions in colorectal cancer, and their success speaks to the innovative environment we are building at ChristianaCare. I could not be more proud of their achievement and their commitment to improving outcomes for patients.”

3 min

Gene Editing Breakthrough Offers New Hope for Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Researchers at the ChristianaCare Gene Editing Institute have made an important advance in treating head and neck cancers. By using CRISPR gene editing, the team found a way to restore how well chemotherapy works in tumors that have stopped responding to treatment. Their results, now published in Molecular Therapy Oncology, could change how doctors treat these aggressive cancers and give new hope to many patients who face limited options. Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and cases are expected to rise by 30 percent every year by 2030. Even with progress in surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, many patients still reach a point where treatment no longer works. The ChristianaCare team aimed to solve this challenge at its source. Targeting the Heart of Drug Resistance The researchers focused on a gene called NRF2. This gene acts like a master switch that helps cancer cells survive stress and resist chemotherapy. Because NRF2 plays such a central role in tumor growth, the team chose to develop a genetic therapy that disables the gene itself rather than targeting a single protein, which is common in traditional drug development. Since NRF2 is a transcription factor, shutting it down in a lasting way is more likely to succeed through CRISPR gene editing. Their major advance was showing that CRISPR can successfully disrupt NRF2 in head and neck cancer cells and in esophageal cancer cells. This work builds on earlier studies in lung cancer, where blocking NRF2 made tumors more sensitive to chemotherapy and improved survival in animal models. “Our goal was to break through the wall of drug resistance that so many patients face,” said Natalia Rivera Torres, Ph.D., the study’s lead author. “By precisely editing the NRF2 gene, we can make cancer cells vulnerable again to standard treatments. This could improve outcomes and quality of life.” Precision Matters: The Power of Target Choice The study also showed that the location of the CRISPR cut within the NRF2 gene makes a big difference. The strongest results came from targeting exon 4, a part of the gene that controls a key section of the NRF2 protein. Editing this region reduced NRF2 levels by 90 percent and made cancer cells much more sensitive to chemotherapy. In comparison, editing exon 2 was less effective even though it still caused high levels of gene disruption. The team also found that a process called exon skipping, where sections of genetic code are rearranged, can affect the outcome of gene editing. This discovery highlights how important careful design and testing are when building gene editing therapies. A Platform for Broader Impact ChristianaCare researchers saw the same results in both head and neck cancer cells and esophageal cancer cells. This suggests the strategy could help treat many solid tumors that have high levels of NRF2 and are known for strong drug resistance. “This is more than just a single experiment,” said Eric Kmiec, Ph.D., director of the Gene Editing Institute and senior author of the study. “We are building a platform that can be adapted to different cancers. Our earlier work in lung cancer showed the promise of this approach, and now we see it working in other hard to treat tumors. It is an exciting step toward making gene editing a meaningful part of cancer treatment.” Looking Ahead: Toward Clinical Application With these strong results, the team is now focused on finding the safest and most effective way to deliver the gene editing tools directly to tumors. Their goal is to reduce how much standard treatment a patient needs in order to get the best result with fewer side effects. “Drug resistance is one of the biggest challenges in cancer care,” Rivera Torres said. “If we can overcome it with gene editing, we could give patients more time, better quality of life and a renewed sense of hope.” Kmiec added, “We are committed to moving this technology forward quickly while always keeping the patient in mind. The future of cancer treatment is personal, precise and, we believe, within reach.”

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