Dr. Emily Chase has been with the University of Chicago for 10 years and currently serves as the Chief Nursing Office, Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services.
She shares thoughts on how UChicago Medicine implemented well-rounded well-being programs to support their employees, teams, and the organization.
Q: What does well-being look like for your employees, teams, and organization?
A: Our new wellness program focuses on the multiple facets of employee wellness: healthy living, financial stability, healthcare, mental health services, and more.
As a healthcare organization, well-being at The University of Chicago Medicine has been front and center. Throughout the pandemic until now, our frontline healthcare workers have been providing relentless and exceptional care. The strain this has had on them makes the focus on well-being more important than ever.
We encourage staff to prioritize their time off and to use that time to recharge and reconnect with family and friends. Additionally, the organization offers well-rounded wellness support, including options from their Employee Assistance Programs
Q: What have you put in place to boost employee wellness and well-being?
A: The University of Chicago Medicine has a new wellness program that focuses on the multiple facets of employee wellness: healthy living, financial stability, healthcare, mental health services, and more. This program provides options for employees to engage in learning opportunities, as well as access ongoing support systems that boost their knowledge and confidence in these key employee wellness areas.
This well-rounded approach, focusing on all aspects of employee wellness, hopes to address the broad needs within our employee community. It is clear that everyone comes to wellness differently, and we need programs that can support a variety of approaches.
Q: How do you practice self-care?
A: Like many, I need to make sure that I schedule a time to practice self-care. My days and weeks can get busy, so planning is incredibly important. I plan time off, even long weekends, to spend time with family and friends, which really helps me recharge. I try to plan my weeks to incorporate evening trips to the gym, as well as other things I enjoy for stress relief, such as listening to music and Audiobooks.
