Well-Being at Michigan Medicine

In this special Well-Being at Michigan Medicine podcast with Dr. Elizabeth Harry, leaders across emotional support, clinical efficiency and faculty development reflect on Michigan Medicine’s achievement of gold status in the AMA’s Joy in Medicine Award. Drs. Jodie Eckleberry-Hunt, Whitney Begeman, Greta Branford, and George Mashour share how programs like COMPASS peer support, confidential counseling, AI-driven documentation tools and robust leadership development strengthen well-being across the institution. Their insights highlight systemwide commitment, innovation and continued investment in reducing burnout, fostering resilience and empowering faculty and clinicians to thrive.Episode TranscriptLearn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support. Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication.

In this episode celebrating Healthcare Security and Safety Week 2025, host Dr. Elizabeth Harry talks with Brian Uridge, Director of Safety and Security at Michigan Medicine. Uridge shares his journey from community policing to health care security and explains how relationship-based safety practices strengthen well-being across the organization. From de-escalation training to canine therapy and mobile duress technology, Uridge reveals how his team blends compassion, trust and innovation to make Michigan Medicine safer for all. This inspiring conversation highlights how connection and presence are just as vital to security as any piece of equipment.Episode TranscriptLearn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support. Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication.

In this episode, Dr. Sanjay Saint, Chief of Medicine at the VA Ann Arbor and the George Dock Professor of Internal Medicine at U-M, features as guest. Saint’s Sacred Moments Initiative highlights emotionally profound connections between patients and caregivers. These moments — where time slows and humanity shines — combat burnout and remind clinicians why they entered healthcare. Inspired by both research and personal stories, like a dying veteran thanking a student or a small act of kindness on a pickleball court, Saint emphasizes creating environments and cultures that invite presence and healing. Through reflection rounds, storytelling, and even architectural redesign, the initiative seeks to normalize, preserve, and celebrate these transformative human experiences in medical care.Transcript Learn more:Sacred Moments InitiativeResearch paper: Sacred Moment Experiences Among Internal Medicine PhysiciansResearch paper: Making Room for Meaningful Moments in Medicine—Prioritizing Continuity and RelationshipsLearn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support. Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication.

Dr. Elizabeth Harry welcomes Chip Amoe, U-M Health’s Chief Sustainability Officer, who shares how his Michigan roots and passion for revitalizing communities inspired his career in health care sustainability. He highlights the vital link between climate change and health, emphasizing the need for hospitals to lead sustainability efforts. Through thoughtful building design, like the LEED-Platinum certified D. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care Pavilion, and a focus on reducing waste, emissions, and harmful chemicals, U-M Health is improving well-being for patients, staff, and communities. Amoe encourages individuals to be ambassadors for sustainable practices both at work and home. Learn more:U-M Health Environmental Sustainability & Carbon NeutralityD. Dan and Betty Kahn Health Care PavilionTranscriptLearn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support. Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. You can subscribe to Well-Being at Michigan Medicine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Harry speaks with leaders from U-M (Dr. Kelcey Stratton), Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience (Dr. Whitney Begeman) and MHealthy (Karen Schmidt) about key mental health and well-being challenges in 2025. They explore how post-pandemic trauma, burnout, social isolation and workplace stress continue to impact health care professionals. The trio of guests share insights on practical tools like micro-breaks, peer support through the COMPASS program and nature-based practices from the NatureRx initiative. They emphasize the power of small, sustainable habits—like five-minute daily check-ins and better sleep hygiene—to boost resilience. Whether you're a caregiver, leader, or staff member, this conversation offers meaningful strategies for thriving in body, mind and spirit. Episode guests:Kelcey Stratton, Ph.D.Whitney Begeman, Psy.D., L.P.Karen Schmidt, M.P.H. Resources:Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience (OCWR)MHealthyWell-being CollectiveTranscriptLearn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support. Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. You can subscribe to Well-Being at Michigan Medicine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Harry welcomes Keith Gran and Devin Lippert from the Office of Patient Experience (OPE). Gran is Michigan Medicine’s chief patient experience, with over 30 years in academic health care leadership. Lippert is OPE’s administrative director with over 25 years in the field.Both bring deep professional and personal insights into improving care through empathy, data and collaboration. They share how their team supports patient and caregiver well-being, highlights impactful programs like peer mentorship and medical improv, and discusses strategies to create a consistent, compassionate experience across Michigan Medicine—emphasizing that every human interaction is an opportunity to improve health care.Episode TranscriptEpisode guests:Keith Gran, C.P.A., M.B.A.Devin Lippert, M.B.A.Learn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support.Well-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. You can subscribe to Well-Being at Michigan Medicine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Harry welcomes Dr. Ethan Kross of U-M’s Department of Psychology and Ross Business School and author of several books about emotion and self-control. Harry and Kross discuss the importance of emotional regulation and self-control, focusing on their impact on mental health and well-being. Kross explains that emotions are natural responses to meaningful events and serve adaptive functions, but when experienced too intensely or for too long, they can interfere with work, relationships, and health. He emphasizes the importance of managing emotions to maintain focus, resolve conflicts, and protect physical well-being. Kross shares that different tools work for different people and situations, highlighting the value of flexibility in emotional responses. For example, sensory tools like music can shift emotions, while perspective-shifting techniques like "distanced self-talk" can help reframe emotional experiences. He also mentions "mental time travel," where thinking about the future or past can put present struggles into perspective. The conversation touches on the challenges of emotion regulation in high-stress fields like academic medicine, where professionals may need to detach emotionally during work but risk emotional disconnection in personal life. Kross advocates for exposing people to these emotional management tools, as they can provide hope and reassurance that emotional regulation is achievable, ultimately improving one's ability to cope with life's challenges. Episode guest:Ethan Kross, Ph.D.Learn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support.Episode TranscriptWell-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. You can subscribe to Well-Being at Michigan Medicine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Dana Habers, M.P.H., joined the Well-Being at Michigan Medicine podcast to discuss the pivotal role innovation played in improving both health care delivery and organizational well-being. Habers is Michigan Medicine’s chief innovation officer and chief operating officer of pharmacy services.In the conversation, Habers emphasized that innovation was about "magnificent problem solving," citing the successful rollout of COVID vaccines as a prime example of rapid, large-scale problem-solving within a complex health care system. Habers saw herself as a bridge between strategy and operations, focusing on scalable processes to solve diverse challenges.In her leadership role, Habers advocated for a culture that prioritized well-being by setting guiding principles for her team. She believed that when leaders modeled behavior and made decisions based on clear principles, it helped align efforts and reduced burnout. Habers also highlighted the importance of using AI to alleviate administrative burdens, allowing staff to focus on more rewarding aspects of patient care. For example, AI tools in pharmacies helped reduce the time spent on prior authorizations, enabling staff to spend more time assisting patients.Habers acknowledged the complexity of implementing AI in health care, balancing innovation with safety. Her team followed a cautious, rigorous approach, starting with smaller, low-risk projects to build a solid foundation for more advanced AI applications, like ambient clinical documentation tools, which helped providers document patient information more efficiently.Looking ahead, Habers was focused on creating a culture of belonging and inclusion at Michigan Medicine, alongside continuing innovation efforts. She believed that improving organizational well-being was crucial for both employee retention and patient care. The integration of AI, she argued, had to solve real-world problems while maintaining a strong focus on workforce sustainability. Ultimately, Habers envisioned a future where innovation enhanced both caregiver and patient experiences, benefiting the entire healthcare system.Learn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support.Episode TranscriptWell-Being at Michigan Medicine is a part of the Michigan Medicine Podcast Network, and is produced by the Michigan Medicine Department of Communication. You can subscribe to Well-Being at Michigan Medicine on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.