Annamarí Dietrichson's journey to her current role in healthcare is anything but typical. With a background in community development, she found her way into the healthcare industry through a project management role focused on cultural change initiatives. “I actually had my degree in conservation ecology, specializing in forestry, and then I went into the community development nonprofit sector and traveled the world,” she says. After meeting her husband following a move to Hawaii, Dietrichson soon moved to Texas, where she became a project manager for a cultural change initiative with Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. “A hospital kind of works like a tribe, believe it or not,” she says.
In her current role as Division VP of Care Experience at HCA Healthcare Colorado, Dietrichson oversees the patient experience across a wide range of healthcare settings, including inpatient hospitals, emergency departments, surgery centers and outpatient services. Her focus, as she describes it, is “how do we bring care to the patient and the patient still feels at the center of all of it?"
Addressing Burnout Through the THRIVE Method
Recognizing the growing issue of burnout among healthcare professionals, Dietrichson has developed a comprehensive approach she calls the "THRIVE" method (Thoughts, Healthy Habits, Rest and Resilience, Intentionality, Vigilance and Empowered Energy). Dietrichson explains that this approach addresses burnout from a twofold perspective. "There is an individual responsibility for sure, and there's also a corporate responsibility,” she says. “You're not going to heal the workforce and you're not going to fight burnout unless you do both."
Prioritizing Sleep as a Foundational Healthy Habit
One of the key components of the THRIVE method is the emphasis on healthy habits, with sleep being a particularly important focus. “Sleep is your superpower, and if you can learn how to have good, healthy sleep hygiene, and you can get a good night's rest, your whole life will change,” Dietrichson emphasizes.
Sleep deprivation is common among healthcare professionals and can often be seen as a "badge of honor." She advises against consuming caffeine later in the day, as it can have a significant impact on sleep quality due to its 10-hour half-life. "If you have a cup of coffee at noon, yeah, by 10 p.m. half of the caffeine is still in your body," she explains.
Individual and Corporate Responsibility of Addressing Burnout
When addressing burning, it’s important to manage thoughts and mindset on both a personal and organizational level. As Dietrichson explains, "Thoughts, in a corporate sense, are [about] really managing the culture. How do you manage how the organization as a whole thinks?” Her insights on this topic are particularly timely. Her upcoming presentation at the MGMA Leaders Conference, titled "Don't Quit Your Day Job: How to Thrive Without Burnout," promises to provide practical strategies and a comprehensive framework for healthcare leaders to support their teams and foster a thriving work environment.
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