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.

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.

This special installment of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine coincides with celebrating Health Workforce Well-Being Day on March 18, 2025. As such, this episode brings together Chief Well-Being Officer Elizabeth Harry, M.D., and Jeffrey Patterson, M.H.S.A., M.P.H., the senior director for well-being operations and strategy. The duo discusses the evolution of the Office of Well-Being from its past iteration and how it brings a broader focus on creating environments where individuals and teams thrive, emphasizing well-being and addressing upstream factors that lead to burnout. Additionally, Dr. Harry and Patterson chat about key tenants of their work: operational well-being, culture of well-being and personal resilience. Recently, the team has grown, and new members have brought greater expertise to the organization. Learn more about how the Office of Well-Being aids it team members and brings a culture of belonging, resilience and support.

In this episode of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine, Chief Well-Being Officer Elizabeth Harry, M.D., welcomes Chief Transformation Officer Amy Cohn, Ph.D., to discuss complex health care issues, operations research, provider well-being and staff scheduling. A significant part of the conversation touches on operational improvements, including a key example of improving a call system at Michigan Medicine. Cohn’s team identified that excessive messages from a centralized call center were frustrating providers. Through collaboration with staff, they discovered that while many providers wanted these messages reduced, others found them valuable. The solution was to switch from a push to a pull system, where providers could access important information when they needed it, reducing interruptions while still enhancing communication. In the interview, Cohn and Harry discuss a holistic approach to problem solving, emphasizing collaboration, respect and ensuring that staff can perform their roles effectively and with a sense of agency.

In this episode, Dr. Elizabeth Harry is joined by Michigan Medicine’s Chief Information Officer Dr. Andrew Rosenberg. Harry and Rosenburg discuss how technology has aided and created hurdles to positive well-being in the medical setting. The two talk about the human focus, and ways data and innovation can be helpful in creating better relationships to reduce burnout.

The second episode of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine with Dr. Elizabeth Harry welcomes Dr. Louito Edje as guest. Dr. Edje is the senior associate dean for medical education at the U-M Medical School. In the conversation, Dr. Edje speaks to the importance of well-being in the education space. From policy positions to leadership development, Dr. Edje and Dr. Harry touch on ways that Michigan Medicine is empowering and aiding its current generation of learners who are set to be the next generation of faculty with positive well-being messaging and tools. The two also speak to how psychological safety and speaking up in important matters bring people together to provide better outcomes for patients. Learn more about the host of Well-Being at Michigan Medicine, Dr. Elizabeth Harry. Episode guest: Louito Edje, M.D., MHPE, FAAFP