The Lorna Breen Act: A Bipartisan Effort to Combat Healthcare Worker Burnout and Suicide
As the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 lockdowns approaches, a pressing issue within the healthcare system is gaining renewed attention: the mental health and well-being of healthcare providers. A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and medical professionals is championing the Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act, aiming to address the escalating crisis of burnout, stress, and suicide among those on the front lines of healthcare.
The act is named in honor of Dr. Lorna Breen, the chief of the emergency department at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Described by colleagues as a dedicated and tireless worker, Dr. Breen tragically took her own life during a brief respite in Virginia, sought to escape the relentless pressures of emergency medical care during the height of the pandemic. Her father, in a New York Times interview, characterized her death as a casualty of the pandemic, noting that she had no prior history of mental illness but had appeared increasingly detached in the period leading up to her death.
The Lorna Breen Act seeks to establish robust support systems to mitigate the mental strain, burnout, and stress inherent in high-pressure, life-saving healthcare environments. Proponents of the legislation argue that the demands placed on healthcare professionals require a concerted effort to provide the necessary resources for their mental and behavioral health.
The urgency of this issue is underscored by a recent study conducted by a North Carolina healthcare group, which revealed that over half of the doctor-respondents expressed that they would not choose primary care as their profession if given the opportunity to start over. This alarming statistic highlights the growing disillusionment and dissatisfaction among healthcare providers, signaling a potential crisis in workforce sustainability.
The Lorna Breen Act aims to provide billions of dollars in funding to support programs aimed at preventing suicide, burnout, and mental and behavioral health conditions among healthcare professionals. This funding would be directed towards initiatives such as:
- Expanding access to mental health services: Providing confidential and easily accessible mental health resources for healthcare workers, including counseling, therapy, and peer support groups.
- Reducing administrative burdens: Streamlining administrative processes and paperwork to alleviate some of the workload and time constraints faced by healthcare providers.
- Promoting workplace well-being: Implementing strategies to improve workplace culture, reduce stigma surrounding mental health issues, and foster a supportive environment for healthcare professionals.
- Supporting research and data collection: Funding research to better understand the factors contributing to burnout and suicide among healthcare workers, and to develop effective prevention strategies.
- Educational resources: Offer education and training in resilience, stress management, and self-care techniques.
Two prominent emergency room physicians, Dr. Randy Pilgrim, chief medical officer for SCP Health, and Dr. Bentley Tate, the emergency room company’s chief wellness officer, have emerged as leading voices in advocating for the Lorna Breen Act. With decades of experience in the high-pressure field of emergency medicine, they emphasize that now, as the U.S. reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic, is the opportune moment to address this critical issue.
SCP Health, operating across 35 states, plays a significant role in mental healthcare advocacy for physicians. Doctors Pilgrim and Tate stress that physician wellness must be a paramount priority, an often-overlooked aspect of healthcare. They highlight the inherent imbalance in the doctor-patient relationship, where patients rightfully focus on their own health needs, while the well-being of the healthcare provider is often neglected.
Dr. Pilgrim notes the historical phrase "Physician, heal thyself," which underscores the importance of a healthy doctor for effective patient care. He states that the healthier the doctor is, the more available they are for the patients themselves. As mental health issues became more prevalent, transparent, and acknowledged within the healthcare workforce, it became evident that destigmatizing mental health struggles and providing accessible resources were crucial steps.
He continued saying that the stresses of the healthcare workforce are significant. It became very clear that destigmatizing that as well as providing resources to help, that was a very real phenomenon
Dr. Tate adds that mental health strains on physicians were largely an "underground phenomenon" until the COVID-19 pandemic brought the well-being of healthcare providers into the forefront. During the pandemic, overwhelmed hospitals and long shifts led to burnout and significant strain on physicians. He emphasizes that physician suicide is the most tragic outcome of this spectrum, but many more healthcare workers experience frustration and weariness.
Dr. Tate stated that all lose when a physician retires early or transitions away from direct patient care due to frustration or mental health challenges. The entire healthcare system suffers when experienced doctors are lost, and the patients benefit when physicians are well and in the right frame of mind.
Dr. Pilgrim, who has been actively involved in pushing for the Lorna Breen Act, emphasizes the bipartisan recognition that U.S. doctors require the full support of Congress. He highlights that the act is ultimately patient-centered, focusing on helping clinicians so they can better serve their patients.
Furthermore, Dr. Pilgrim notes that with increased scrutiny of government spending, there is a greater focus on the cost-effectiveness of initiatives like the Lorna Breen Act. He argues that the act represents a relatively small investment with the potential for a significant impact. He said that people are looking for relatively small amounts of dollars that will have a relatively large and outsized impact.
Senators Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, and Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas (and a physician himself), are leading the Senate version of the bill. Representatives Debbie Dingell, a Democrat from Michigan, Jennifer Kiggans, a Republican from Virginia, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois, are championing the House version.
Representative Dingell emphasizes the bipartisan nature of the act and its importance in ensuring that healthcare providers have the resources to care for themselves as they care for their patients. She states that healthcare professionals dedicate their lives to serving their patients, often at the expense of their own physical and emotional well-being, and ensuring they have the resources to stay healthy is one of her top priorities.
The Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act represents a crucial step towards addressing the long-neglected mental health needs of healthcare professionals. By providing essential resources and support, this bipartisan legislation aims to reduce burnout, prevent suicide, and ultimately ensure that healthcare providers can continue to provide the best possible care for their patients.
