The Physician Wellbeing module, published in 2021, was a hugely popular FMPE module created in collaboration with the College of Family Physicians of Canada and contains a wealth of resources and evidence regarding physician wellness. The upcoming Practice Improvement Activity explores mindfulness as a means of improving physician well-being. It was co-written by Dr. Jill Bailey, a family physician who is also a psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher, and the author of the Physician Wellbeing module. There is increasing evidence that mindfulness-based interventions can mitigate burnout and reduce stress. Family physicians can use mindfulness strategies to improve their personal and professional well-being. Mindfulness can be incorporated into both clinical and personal life in many ways. In this PIA, members choose to engage in one mindfulness activity and determine whether including mindfulness as a consistent practice helps to improve their well-being.
The first Practice Improvement Activity to accompany the Physician Wellbeing module provided a structured quality improvement process for adopting a self-care strategy aimed at improving physician well-being. It promoted reflection on personal values with respect to personal and work life. An ongoing core value at the FMPE is fostering a community of practice, where family physicians can grow together professionally and personally, and thus, we felt it was time to revisit physician wellbeing with another Practice Improvement Activity.
PBLP members will receive 40 Mainpro+ Assessment credits for completing the second Physician Wellbeing PIA on mindfulness. We encourage members to utilize this PIA to improve their well-being and to discuss it with peers in their community of practice. If you are part of a small group, consider doing the PIA together alongside a custom topic session on Mindfulness to receive credits for small group learning as well.