Joseph Patruno, M.D., board certified in obstetrics and gynecology has been named chief wellness officer of Lehigh Valley Health Network.

“Physician burnout is a vexing problem,” Thomas Whalen, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer of LVHN, said. In the 2019 Medscape National Physician Burnout Report, 44 percent of physicians reported feeling burned out. Patruno was appointed chief wellness officer to address this pressing issue and promote well-being among health care professionals.

In his role, Patruno will implement strategies that meet the goals of the LVHN Well-Being Paradigm. “Our early efforts, through our wellness committee, have been in measuring the problem of burnout and creating strategies to combat it to allow our physicians and care teams to thrive in the clinical environment,” Patruno said.

“Assuring the well-being of our caregivers is a moral imperative, assures that our patients get the highest quality care and experience, and in the end makes financial sense for our health network.”