Getting back to grassroots wellness work in 2025

By Donald Rabor, MD, Platte Valley Hospital Chief of Staff

Hello and season’s greetings to the entire medical staff! I hope you’ve taken the time to relax, recharge and enjoy the spirit of the holiday. Some of you travel; others volunteer. Some of you gather with friends and relatives; others fly solo with a good book and a delicious meal. However your holiday unfolded, I hope it was as fulfilling as you imagined.

I’d like to bring some of that satisfaction (minus Santa and the tinsel!) into our workplace in 2025. I’ve been your chief only for a few months, but I’ve been practicing here at Platte Valley for a long time. For many of us, Platte Valley is a workplace that feels like home, where we’ve chosen to spend our careers in the pursuit of healing patients and restoring families. The days are rewarding, and the camaraderie fills the cup.

But not all of us have that experience. I’ve also seen good physicians grow frustrated and isolated, and I’ve watched as their energy drained. Eventually they left. We can do better for them and for all of us, and I’d like to use my time in this position to get us back to the basics of caring not just for our patients, but for each other.

Physician and APP wellness should be a local, grassroots effort that elevates personal relationships, strengthens connections and offers support to medical staff members for any reason, from providing the details that can help a colleague complete an ordinary task to offering guidance that can make a meaningful difference in a colleague’s journey.

One initiative I would like to develop is a more robust onboarding practice that includes peer-to-peer mentorship. This is a high-stress job in a fast-paced environment, and the first days and months in a new-to-you hospital can be confusing, overwhelming and lonely. More information upfront about our system of delivering care, as well as a seasoned member of our medical staff to introduce new members to the culture, can drastically change a new practitioner’s trajectory here.

I’d love to hear your ideas, big or small, about how we can create a more welcoming environment for new clinicians and a more satisfying experience for everyone. You can email me or walk into my office anytime.

And not just for this issue, but for any reason. As I’ve said, I’ve been practicing for a long time. If you have questions, I’ve already found the answers. If you are experiencing a conflict, I’ve already helped resolve it for someone else. If you find yourself in a pickle, I’ve already been there! I’m happy to help you find your way out.

As we turn the calendar, I hope you find yourselves optimistic about practicing medicine and excited about the growth we’re anticipating at Platte Valley and in the community at large. Our expanding population and continued work to become One Intermountain likely will require change. I encourage you to reserve judgment and offer empathy if disagreements arise or tempers flare.

And when walking around the hospital, I want you to keep in mind the 10-5 rule. I know this sounds corny, but it’s one of my favorite practices because it works! It makes people happier and places friendlier. Here it is: When you’re walking around and you find yourself approaching another person, make eye contact at 10 feet and say hello at five feet.

Validation. You’ve just made someone feel seen and helped them know that they matter. It’s the best and easiest gift you can give all year.

Happy 2025, and thank you for all you do every day for our patients, this community and each other.