Ob Hospitalist Group, the nation’s leading provider of OB/GYN hospitalist services, has announced the launch of its CARE program, a first-of-its-kind peer support initiative designed to support clinicians who are suffering from the psychological/emotional impact of an unexpected and adverse obstetrical event.
Obstetricians who are suffering vicarious trauma benefit from emotional first aid and peer-to-peer wraparound support.
Through the CARE (Clinician Assistance, Recovery & Encouragement) Program, trained peers support OBHG colleagues in an atmosphere of confidentiality, empathy, trust, and respect in the immediate aftermath of a negative patient care-related event.
It is believed to be the first large-scale obstetrics peer-support program in the country, available to more than 600 OBHG clinicians at over 120 hospitals in the U.S.
The CARE program is designed to address the well-documented concept of the “second victim.” A wide body of research has found that when healthcare providers are involved in an unanticipated patient event, a medical error and/or a patient-related injury, they often feel as though they have failed the patient, second guessing their clinical skills and knowledge base.
“Unanticipated medical outcomes can be devastating for both patients and physicians. Our research found nine in ten of our physicians did not feel adequately supported in coping with error-related stress, and eight in ten reported they would be interested in counseling after a serious error occurred,” said Leonard L. Castiglione, chief executive officer, Ob Hospitalist Group.
“We designed the CARE program based on a ‘first responder’ approach: to offer emotional first aid and peer-to-peer wraparound support to clinicians who are suffering vicarious trauma, to help them regain the emotional health and equilibrium necessary to provide skillful, empathetic care for patients.”