Main Line Health is a non-profit health system based in the suburbs of Philadelphia.
The health system includes four acute care hospitals, a rehabilitation hospital, a home care division, and a network of outpatient centers and physician practices. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Main Line Health created a psychological first aid team to help support the emotional and psychological needs of patients, staff, and the community.
The psychological first aid team at Main Line Health is made up of a group of licensed clinical social workers, psychologists, and chaplains who provide emotional support and counseling to patients, families, and staff. The team was created in response to the increased levels of stress and anxiety experienced by healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team offers a range of services, including crisis intervention, grief counseling, and support groups. They also provide education and training to staff on topics such as self-care, stress management, and coping strategies. The team has been instrumental in helping to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety experienced by staff and patients at Main Line Health.
One of the key challenges that Main Line Health faced in creating the psychological first aid team was ensuring that staff and patients were aware of the services that were available. To address this challenge, the team developed a comprehensive marketing and communications plan that included a range of outreach strategies.
One of the most effective strategies that the team used was to reach out directly to staff and patients through a series of targeted email campaigns. The team also created a website that provided information about the services that were available and how to access them.
In addition to these outreach strategies, the team also partnered with other organizations in the community to help spread the word about the services that were available. For example, the team partnered with local churches and community organizations to provide outreach and education to the broader community.
Another key factor in the success of the psychological first aid team at Main Line Health was the commitment of the leadership team to supporting the initiative. The leadership team recognized the importance of providing emotional and psychological support to staff and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they made the necessary resources available to support the team.
The creation of the psychological first aid team at Main Line Health is an excellent example of how healthcare organizations can respond to the emotional and psychological needs of their staff and patients during times of crisis. By providing access to emotional support and counseling services, healthcare organizations can help to reduce the levels of stress and anxiety experienced by staff and patients and improve overall outcomes.
Moving forward, it will be important for healthcare organizations to continue to prioritize the emotional and psychological well-being of their staff and patients. By investing in initiatives such as the psychological first aid team at Main Line Health, healthcare organizations can help to create a more supportive and compassionate healthcare environment.
