As Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s employees continue their heroic work on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing work can take a toll on them mentally, physically and emotionally.
In order to keep providing high quality, reliable health care services to our communities, we first need to support our own employees, by encouraging regular self-care and offering resources to care for their mental health.
The MyHealthyLiving program at LG Health is an employee wellness program dedicated to supporting the well-being of our own employees. Employees can access in-person and online resources to help support their mental health needs and develop a healthy mindset. Resources include:
- Quest EAP: The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers confidential counseling, educational tools and referral services to help you manage life’s problems. The EAP is provided through Quest Behavioral Health, an employee assistance firm. Employees receive three free sessions per year for themselves and immediate family members.
- Penn COBALT: Developed by Penn Medicine, for the entire Penn Medicine community, this online resource lets employees sign in or anonymously access tools and resources for mental health support, including peer connections, resilience coaches, therapists and psychiatrists. Penn COBALT also hosts self-directed learning opportunities, podcasts, and webinars on a variety of topics impacting mental and emotional employee health.
- meQuilibrium Resilience Platform: meQuilibrium is a digital coaching app designed to help employees discover simple techniques to build resilience and shift responses to stressful thoughts and situations. meQuilibrium includes an assessment, short videos and interactive tools that can be completed on the employee’s own time.
Brynn Kline, manager, Corporate Health and Wellness says, “The silver lining we see is that mental health has always been part of overall well-being, but the pandemic has given everyone the opportunity to make it a priority. We are entering a new space where it’s encouraged to speak about it and seek help when needed.”
“The message to all employees is: be in tune with yourself every day. Listen to your body, recognize when you go through longer than normal periods of uneasiness. Reach out. Seek help. Take care of you. It can change your day, your year, and your life.”