The Rounds Launches ResilienceRx, Highlighting the Need for Physician Mental Health and Wellness Support

ResilienceRx – By The Rounds, will Break Down Geographic Barriers and Provide Physicians with a Private Forum for Discussion, Sharing, Learning, Laughing and Growing.

HALIFAX, NS, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ – The Rounds – Canada’s leading online collaboration network physicians trust to improve healthcare outcomes, today announced the launch of the first large-scale physician health and wellness community of practice for Canadian doctors. ResilienceRx- By The Rounds was founded on the belief that healthier doctors’ equal healthier patients. The project is aimed at Canadian physicians and grounded in The Rounds’ vision that sharing knowledge saves lives.

ResilienceRx is a physician forum for discussion, sharing, learning, laughing, and growing. It provides the highest quality content while breaking down specialty silos and geographic barriers. ResilienceRx is a safe place where physicians can come for support, reprieve, and personal growth and aims to add to the practice of taking care of the caregivers.

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing a riskier workplace environment for doctors, it has become more important than ever to protect their mental health and overall well-being.  The ongoing pandemic has highlighted the need for more support for doctors, and ResilienceRx aims to provide that necessary outlet. 

“Ensuring the ongoing health and well-being of physicians is what makes the healthcare system sustainable,” said Tim Rice, President and CEO of The Rounds. “Because of the intense frontline work that they do, doctors are an especially vulnerable population when it comes to anxiety and depression. ResilienceRx provides a dedicated space for physicians to connect and share stories amongst their peers, without the pressure or apprehension that they will be judged. Initiating the discussion is an important step to remove the stigma within the medical community and ensure that everyone has a voice.” 

ResilienceRx has launched a social media campaign with video interviews that highlight Canadian physicians who echo the need for increased awareness and support for physician mental health and wellness. Dr. Vivien Brown, a pioneer and tireless advocate on the need to raise awareness about health issues and preventative healthcare, plays a crucial role as the host of these segments.

“Throughout the course of my career I have worked tirelessly to help implement and champion progressive health policy in Canada,” said Dr. Brown. “A recent survey revealed that roughly 40 physicians per 100,000 dies by suicide each year — the highest rate of suicide of any profession and double the rate of the general population. ResilienceRx supports the immediate need to provide a community of peers, to break down the barriers and discuss these important issues, free of stigma.”

The first three experts to be interviewed as a part of the video series are:

• Dr. Gigi Osler
  A passionate advocate for physician health, past president of the CMA 2019-2020 and president elect for the Federation of Medical Women of Canada, Dr. Osler co-chaired the 2015 Canadian Conference on Physician Health and served as the inaugural chair of the Physician Health and Wellness Committee for Doctors Manitoba. In 2017, she was awarded the Doctors Manitoba Health and Safety Promotion award in recognition of her efforts to develop and implement programs to support the health and well-being of doctors.
  Dr. Osler’s full interview can be found here.

• Dr. Stephanie Smith
  Dr. Smith is attending physician, full time medical staff, and Director of hospital infection prevention and control at the University of Alberta Hospital and the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. In addition, she provides consultation in infectious disease prevention and control to the cross-cancer institute. Within the department of medicine, she is program director of the postgraduate training infectious diseases program.
  Dr. Smith’s full interview can be found here.
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• Dr. Alexandra Manning
  A PGY6 psychiatry resident at Dalhousie University, Dr. Manning does work with Doctor’s Nova Scotia professional support program providing Balint support groups. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Manning has been offering eight-week zoom-based Balint groups for up to 12 physicians who use case-based discussion to provide and receive support around emotions and ethical dilemmas arising in their work. These closed physician groups help reduce burnout while improving communication skills and empathy.
  Dr. Manning’s full interview can be found here.

There is still much more to be done to help doctors navigate work-associated trauma and burnout. This initiative will help physicians’ bond through peer development, avoid compassion fatigue, build resiliency and ultimately, prepare them for the ongoing stressors of their working world.

For more information about ResilienceRx – By The Rounds, Click here.

About The Rounds:
Founded in 2012, The Rounds has been modernizing how physicians’ access and share information because we believe sharing knowledge saves lives. The Rounds is the first secure collaboration network of its kind with a mission to improve global healthcare outcomes by connecting the medical community.

In the rapidly changing healthcare landscape, physicians require a centralized hub to exchange clinical information. Our network provides physicians instant access to trusted communities of practice, learning opportunities, medical peers and experts, as well as curated information related to their clinical interests.

SOURCE The Rounds