Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Workforce topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Medical Association outlines Safe Haven practitioner wellness program, aims to launch statewide in 2025
Summary
The Medical Association of Georgia explained a new Safe Haven wellness program for clinicians that emphasizes confidentiality, peer support and nondisciplinary assistance. The association plans a rollout this year, estimating a per-practitioner cost around $300 annually and citing workforce retention as a key driver.
Representatives of the Medical Association of Georgia briefed the House Public and Community Health Committee on the Safe Haven practitioner wellness program, which aims to provide confidential, nonpunitive support for clinicians experiencing stress and burnout.
Brent Walker, general counsel for the Medical Association of Georgia, told members the program — modeled after Virginia’s initiative and developed with national societies — is intended to increase engagement with mental-health and resilience resources by emphasizing confidentiality, peer support and a nondisciplinary design. "The design of the program, if you engage with it appropriately, it protects you from any negative consequences to your license," Walker said.
Walker described program components including stress-management training, mental-health support, work-life balance initiatives and physical health resources. He said engagement rates in Virginia’s program were 43–45 percent compared with single-digit engagement for typical employee-assistance programs. The association estimates a sustainable per-practitioner cost “around $300 a year” and expects to begin rolling out options this year, either as an employer-provided benefit or an individually accessible program for independent practitioners.
Committee members and guests discussed workforce shortages and retention; Walker cited projections that Georgia could face a shortage of roughly 8,000 physicians by 2030 and noted the program is intended to reduce attrition, save recruitment costs and protect patient safety.
The association said it is coordinating with state licensing boards and the Professional Health Program (PHP) so practitioners who need further oversight can be transitioned into formal impairment programs when appropriate. Walker said the nonprofit model and confidentiality focus are intended to reduce stigma and increase participation among physicians and allied practitioners.
