Meaning, Purpose, and Spirituality and Clinician Well-Being

Background: Rates of burnout and job dissatisfaction remain high among clinicians. While health care organizational changes are needed to promote their well-being, individual factors must also be supported. A key factor for health behavior change and well-being includes meaning, purpose and spirituality (MPS), among other lifestyle factors. Yet, clinician well-being programs are often lacking explicit support for MPS. Objective and Approach: To develop a synthesis of the evidence behind MPS in clinician well-being and report on the discussions of experts from a national summit on MPS on integrating MPS into clinician well-being programs. Findings: Addressing MPS as a key element of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle is vital for healthcare professionals and essential in targeted interventions to improve physical health and mental well-being, decrease burn out, and boost life satisfaction. Researchers and experts in MPS and in lifestyle medicine emphasize the essential role of MPS in well-being. Integrating MPS into daily life and fostering relationships that cultivate a sense of mattering in the workplace promote resilience and intrinsic motivation, help professionals reconnect with their purpose, ultimately advancing positive behavior and health across all career stages. Organizations can enhance well-being programs and foster well-being culture in the workplace that honors MPS. While research on clinician well-being has evolved, gaps remain in replicability, scalability and best practices of MPS interventions. Future studies should explore synergies between individual resources and systemic challenges to support MPS well-being factors. Conclusion: Further research and integration of MPS in clinician well-being programs is necessary in providing comprehensive approaches that address individual, as well as organizational and systemic factors.