The COVID-19 global pandemic is taking a physical, mental and emotional toll on doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and caregivers. The long work hours and limited resources are causing overwork, exhaustion and in some cases, compassion fatigue. Not to mention balancing your work with the concerns for your own family and loved ones.

What is compassion fatigue?

Compassion fatigue is a state of chronic physical and mental distress and exhaustion. People with this fatigue often describe a negative shift in their world view and a preoccupation with the illness of others. They may experience stress and burnout, affecting their ability to be effective in their jobs and relate to their loved ones and friends.

Tips for preventing compassion fatigue:

• Make self-care a priority. Despite your workload, do your best to practice healthy habits. Focus on making sure you are staying hydrated, sleeping as much as possible, eating nutritious meals and getting exercise when you can. Follow the COVID-19 CDC guidelines on keeping yourself and your family’s risk low.
• Boost your emotional resilience. Deep breathing, meditation, being grateful and allowing yourself some down time are ways to keep your life in balance, so you are better able to handle stress, setbacks and crises.
• Get social support. Reaching out over the phone or through a text message to supportive loved ones, friends and colleagues can be a calming influence and shift your perspective on what you are dealing with every day.
• Be proud of your profession. Your work is important. You are caring for people during the first-ever pandemic caused by a coronavirus and giving them hope and strength.
• Seek professional help. If you are experiencing distress and/or symptoms of burnout, take advantage of your healthcare and employee assistance benefits and meet with a behavioral health professional who can help.

We wholeheartedly thank you for all you are doing to care for others and combat this outbreak.

For more information and tips, visit MagellanHealthcare.com/COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the United States continues to evolve, with more cases and quarantines popping up on news feeds everywhere. The closer it gets to their homes, the more people are worrying. In our last post, “Addressing anxiety about the coronavirus,” we talked about the things people can do to help feel less anxious and more in control. But what about the people on the front lines? Nurses, doctors, healthcare workers and other medical professionals who are testing for and treating patients with COVID-19 are at a higher risk of contracting it than the general public. What can they do to take care of themselves, physically and emotionally?

As Kushal, Gupta and Mehta stated in Study of Stress among Health Care Professionals: A Systemic Review, “Work related stress is a potential cause of concern in healthcare workers and is associated with decreased job satisfaction, days off work, anxiety, depression, sleeplessness , medical errors and near misses.” Long shifts and working with sick people—some of whom are gravely ill—can lead to burnout and anxiety from their normal jobs. These already-struggling healthcare workers are now faced with COVID-19 unknowns and demands, including taking care of people with confirmed cases of the virus.

While some people may feel they are at the whims of the virus, there are things healthcare workers can do to take some control over their work environment and manage their fear or anxiety.

• Know what your organization’s plans are. Read the business continuity plan and know your role. Talk to your team members about cross-training and covering for each other if one of you gets sick. In addition, ensure you are following proper protocols for cleaning and preventing spread. Visit cdc.gov for helpful information. This is particularly important for behavioral health providers who may not always think about universal precautions.
• Surround yourself with green. If your facility permits, bring in a few plants to liven up your surroundings. Being around plants has a calming effect on people. Employees who work in offices with plants tend to feel better about their jobs, worry less and take fewer sick days.¹ If you can’t have plants in your space, take time to look out the window and find some green. You may find that is enough for a quick mental break and perspective.
• Use small tools to create a calming environment. A small water feature, a sand garden or hourglass, stress balls and other items can provide a quick way to refresh your mind. Or just step back, take deep breaths, stretch and/or meditate.
• Find someone to talk to. Some hospitals have on-site or on-call chaplains; take advantage of them. Don’t be afraid to talk to your coworkers about how you are feeling. Chances are, they are feeling the same way and would welcome a discussion. Many medical settings offer a form of rounds that addresses the emotional impact of caring for a particular patient or theme. Similar semi-structured discussion groups with peers can be very helpful in handling stress and preventing the development of PTSD.²
• Get professional help. Be open to contacting your organization’s EAP, if you have one, or reach out to a therapist if you find yourself developing “compassion fatigue,” where your desire to help others erodes.
• Limit exposure to media. Media outlets have a tendency to sensationalize stories, so it’s important to consume news thoughtfully and with a critical eye.

In addition, do all the normal things to take care of yourself: try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. Doing these things can have a positive impact on your mental health and help you manage anxiety.

For more information and tips, visit MagellanHealthcare.com/COVID-19. We wholeheartedly thank you for all you are doing to combat this outbreak.

1: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-houseplants.

2: See Schwartz rounds.

Disclaimer: The content in this blog article is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For questions regarding any medical condition or if you need medical advice, please contact your healthcare provider.

It’s officially the holiday season—bring on the parties, travel, end-of-year work activities, and squeezing in quality time with loved ones! This year, remember to make time to take care of yourself and start 2020 off with your healthiest, most vibrant YOU. Here are our top three holiday health hacks:

Be mindful of your alcohol intake.

Avoiding triggers can be challenging this time of year. Dr. Caroline Carney, chief medical officer of Magellan Rx, was quoted in a helpful Huffington Post article that offers 14 useful tips for navigating the holidays when you’re not drinking.

Be mindful of your plate.

The celebration over food and eating during the holidays can be tough…but it doesn’t have to be! With a little planning and preparation, you can make healthy choices. Check out these 10 easy tips to for managing your diet this holiday season.

Be mindful.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. It will do wonders when you’re sitting in all that holiday traffic.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday!

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

It is estimated that 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic has become a national crisis and is continuing to grow rapidly, affecting families in every city across our nation.

No one is exempt from experiencing the effects of the opioid crisis. Magellan’s own Janet Edwards, RN, senior clinical director of Magellan’s Chronic Pain Management program, describes how close to home the opioid epidemic hit her:
It is estimated that 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic has become a national crisis and is continuing to grow rapidly, affecting families in every city across our nation.

“My daughter, Nikki, was 26 when she  died of a Fentanyl overdose. As the mother of a six-year-old and a critical care nurse working in a respected healthcare organization, Nikki was the picture of success. But to handle the pressures of nursing school, a full-time job, and life as a single mother, Nikki sought prescriptions for Adderall and Xanax from multiple physicians. Over time, her addiction to these substances gave way to a new addiction: Fentanyl, which she began to confiscate from the critical care unit where she worked.
Like many others, Nikki didn’t show any signs of addiction. But five years after her son was born, Nikki sat at my kitchen table and admitted that she was addicted to heroin. She was afraid to get help, because she did not want to lose her job or the respect of her peers. She insisted she could recover on her own. Even though I, as a nurse, knew the odds were not good that Nikki could manage her recovery alone, I respected my daughter’s wishes. It’s a decision I will forever regret. Eleven months later, Nikki died of an accidental overdose in front of her son and a friend.”

Following the loss of her daughter, Janet has openly shared Nikki’s story, becoming an advocate for helping prevent opioid addiction. Further, Janet has taken on clinical leadership of Magellan’s Chronic Pain program, which offers alternatives to opioid use.

Meeting opioid users where they are

No matter where or how someone encounters opioids or where they may be in the cycle of use, dependence or addiction, Magellan offers many other ways to address the opioid problem. Our behavioral health products forged from decades of serving the public, our specialty healthcare solutions supported by clinical excellence, and our customized pharmacy programs are ready to answer the call as organizations and individuals look for answers.
Hosting a forum for sharing successes  and discussing solutions

In September 2018, Magellan brought together  national and local leaders in Pennsylvania to  exchange ideas, share successes and  discuss solutions to the opioid  epidemic in our communities.  The free, second-annual  conference featured  keynote addresses and  workshops and highlighted  the proactive efforts of local  organizations. Participants included  national and state officials, county human  services and drug and alcohol leaders, legislative  staff, providers and community stakeholders.

Not staying silent on the silent epidemic

Magellan is actively helping individuals and families on their path to recovery. Further, to educate the public, doctors and other healthcare providers, we offer resources on our Magellan Health OPIOID INSIGHTS microsite. The site includes links to blog posts, videos, resources and published articles.

Hosting a forum for sharing successes and discussing solutions

InSeptember2018, Magellan brought together national and local leaders in Pennsylvania to exchange ideas, share successes and discuss solutions around the challenge we face together in addressing the opioid epidemic in our communities. The second-annual conference featured keynote addresses and workshops and highlighted the proactive efforts of local organizations. Participants at the free one-and-a-half-day conference included national and state officials, county human services and drug and alcohol leaders, legislative staff, providers and community stakeholders.

As an Adolescent Support and Counseling (ASACS) Counselor, it has always been a passion of mine to provide counseling and prevention serves to teens and their families. I’ve been very fortunate to fulfill that calling and having a platform to make an impact at Daegu Middle High School in Daegu, South Korea.

In supporting and working with the Daegu students, I developed a year-round leadership club called the Role Model Club. The goal of this club is to develop middle and high school students so they serve as peer leaders for younger students in elementary school.

All Role Model Club candidates are selected by their teachers and are interviewed for entry into the Club.  Once selected, students participate in several field trips, planned by ASACS, to the elementary school and school-age services for Red Ribbon Week (an awareness week that raises awareness on the importance of a drug-free, healthy youth) and Military Children’s Month. The club members also assist fifth graders as they being their transition into sixth grade.

Role Model Club members also participate in the planning and facilitating of various campaigns and serve as a positive advocate for youth in the community. Role models learn to act as ambassadors through positively influencing their peers and learn important skills to engage and connect with peers that are graduating to the next grade level. 

Through weekly meetings, students create educational skits to promote healthy decision-making skills. We focus on a variety of topics such as: drug refusal, fire and bullying prevention, developing interpersonal skills, technology management, positive body image and many others.

Throughout the school year, I actively engage with parents of Role Model Club students, making sure they are informed of activities, fieldtrips, contests, and various campaigns that students plan and implement throughout the school year and summer months.

The positive feedback that this program has received from both students and their parents truly reaffirms my belief that the Role Model Club is a unique and enriching experience for teens to learn leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

About Jasmin Coty

Ms. Jasmin Coty has been an ASACS Counselor since December 1989 helping military and civilian families throughout Germany for over 20 years and in the last five years assisting teen and their families at Daegu MHS in Daegu, South Korea.

We live in a fast paced, on-demand world, one in which information is available to patients through multiple channels on any medical topic. So, how do you help your patients navigate all the information and working with them, determine what is right for them and their loved ones? How do you help patients understand a diagnosis or a medical condition that needs to be effectively managed?

Care management is a solution that is intended to improve patient care and reduce the need for medical services by helping patients effectively navigate their own health condition. These programs have become a vital tool for organizations in order to meet the needs of their patients while also effectively improving quality and reducing the cost of care. Care Management can be provided by various types of clinical professionals, such as nurses, social workers, and pharmacists.

A successful care management program should include an integrated suite of services such as:

1. Care Coordination: Coordinating with the patient’s physician on assessments, care planning, and interventions.
2. Patient Engagement: Identifying opportunities for patients and developing a care plan that is supported through educational tools and resources to help them achieve their healthcare goals.
3. Health and Wellness: Helping patients make positive and lasting changes to their health through establishing healthy habits and setting achievable goals.
4. Advanced Digital Tools: Providing patients with the convenience and ease of managing their health through digital applications.
5. Data Analytics: Identifying members at risk for non-adherence or in need of care management through data-led and evidence-based algorithms.

A care management solution should be a comprehensive system that offers a suite of products to help patients navigate their health journey. Our MRx Navigate program is one such program that offers a medical management solution for customers and patients. MRx Navigate integrates data-driven, population health, and personalized intervention that leads patients to healthy, more vibrant lives. To learn more about MRx Navigate, click here.

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

Coming together for the win

Nowhere is our value of Win Together more apparent than when you see the smiling faces of our employees working together to help improve the communities we serve. Every year, Magellan employees, located throughout the country, voluntarily organize and participate in Magellan Cares community service activities. Magellan Health and the Magellan Cares Foundation also support our employees’ giving in two ways: paying for time off to volunteer and matching their financial gifts. And when times get tough, we help lift up one another through our eMbrace employee assistance fund. Fully funded by employees through payroll contributions, the eMbrace fund helps employees who are facing a personal financial hardship.

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

• 2018 volunteer time spent: 17,000
• 2018 volunteer states served: 36
• 2018 volunteer impacted organizations: 560+

Matching Gifts

•  2018 matching funds total dollars: $69,398.77
•  2018 matching funds impacted organizations: 152
•  2018 employee donated matched: $25,416.54

eMbrace

•  2018 total gifts received: : $136,419
•  2018 Total distributions to employees: $144,770
• Total gifts received since 2012: $726,499

The Magellan Cares Foundation also provides grants to nonprofits or nonprofit organizations for initiatives that are aligned with our focus areas. Donations support national or large-scale health access and quality improvement initiatives; efforts that help improve the social supports around a quality healthcare system, such as access to housing, food, clothing or self improvement opportunities, and efforts to support America’s military service members, veterans and wounded warriors.

•  2018 total dollars granted: $560,000
• 2018 total impacted organizations: 130

Having type 2 diabetes can be overwhelming. The good news? While everyone’s treatment plan will be different, there’s a good chance you can manage your type 2 diabetes by making healthy choices. Convinced, but still struggling to work good choices into your real life? Start here for tips on treating type 2 diabetes.

The key to treating type 2 diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels controlled and in your target range.

All of the following help to lower blood sugar:

• Making healthy food choices. Try to manage the amount of carbohydrates you eat by spreading them out over the day.
• Losing weight, if you are overweight
• Getting regular exercise
• Taking medicines, if you need them

It’s also important to:

• See your doctor. Regular checkups are important to monitor your health.
• Test your blood sugar levels. You have a better chance of keeping your blood sugar in your target range if you know what your levels are from day to day.
• Keep high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. This can help you lower your risk of heart and large blood vessel disease.
• Quit smoking. This can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

It seems like a lot to do—especially at first. You might start with one or two changes. Focus on checking your blood sugar regularly and being active more often. Work on other tasks as you can.

It can be hard to accept that you have diabetes. It’s normal to feel sad or angry. You may even feel grief. Talking about your feelings can help. Your doctor or other health professionals can help you cope.

With a little support and guidance, patients with diabetes can live healthy, vibrant lives. Our Live Vibrantly: Diabetes care program helps manage all aspects of diabetes from improving wellness, diet, and exercise to optimizing medication use. To learn more about Live Vibrantly: Diabetes, click here.

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This document is for your information only. It is not meant to give medical advice. It should not be used to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned here.