Nov 13 2023 51 mins
Welcome to Difficult Conversations. You may have heard the story of Dr. Lorna Breen, who was an accomplished physician that tragically took her own life during the spring of 2020. Today, Dr. Orsini and Liz Poret-Christ are honored to introduce guest, Corey Feist, who is the co-founder, and President of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation. Corey dives into his personal journey, driven by the tragic suicide of his sister-in-law, Dr. Lorna Breen, and his mission to transform the healthcare system to support the well-being of healthcare professionals. The Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation’s work includes awareness efforts to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues, advocating for changes in licensing laws and credentialing questions to protect healthcare workers’ rights, and advancing solutions that aim to improve the overall well-being of the healthcare workforce.
Corey shares insights into the challenges within healthcare, such as electronic medical records and burnout, which prompted him to take action. He discusses the “All in Wellbeing First for Healthcare” initiative, that includes grants to fund well-being solutions, a starter kit for healthcare systems to kickstart well-being initiatives, and a focus on removing barriers to mental health access. We’ll also hear the significant progress the foundation has made, including the passing of the Dr. Lorna Breen Healthcare Provider Protection Act and the creation of the All In Champions Challenge Badge program,. Corey emphasizes the importance of healthcare professionals reaching out for help and clarifies that the most reliable source for information on the status of physician licensing and mental health concerns is their website because the foundation regularly updates this information. He also discusses the need to remove questions about past mental health issues from peer reference forms, stressing the importance of creating a supportive environment and ensuring confidentiality for healthcare workers seeking help. If you enjoyed this podcast, please hit the subscribe button on your favorite podcast platform and download this episode to hear more!
Hosts:
Dr. Anthony Orsini
Liz Poret-Christ
Guest:
Corey Feist
For More Information:
Difficult Conversations Podcast
Resources
Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation
Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation YouTube
National Physician Suicide Awareness Day