447 - Establishing a Physician Peer Support Program in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Publication Number: 4438.447

Tanya Vayngortin, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States; Elise Zimmerman, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States; Joelle Donofrio-Odmann, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, United States; Rachna Subramony, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States; Desiree Shapiro, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States

Background: Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians often experience stress and secondary trauma after critical events. However, they may hesitate to seek mental health support due to stigma and time constraints. Peer support programs can improve well-being and resilience within healthcare teams. A structured peer support program for PEM physicians has not been previously described in the literature.

Objective: 1) To describe the development and early outcomes of a peer support program for PEM physicians, 2) To assess whether Stress First Aid (SFA) Training improves confidence and familiarity with skills to provide peer support

Design/Methods: We implemented a peer support program at an academic children’s hospital with volunteer PEM physician peer supporters. All peer supporters completed a 4-hour SFA training aimed to build skills in recognizing the stress continuum, providing support, and connecting colleagues to resources. We integrated a notification system into our electronic health record (EHR) to alert peer supporters following cardiac arrests and other critical events. Peer supporters contacted the PEM physicians involved in each case to provide support and resources, and documented their interactions in an anonymous tracking system. We administered pre- and post- training surveys of supporters assessing self-reported familiarity and confidence in providing peer support. Finally, we administered a faculty-wide feedback survey evaluating utilization and perceived value of the program.

Results: Development and implementation of the program began in July 2024 and is ongoing. Ten peer supporters completed the SFA training and described as highly useful for recognizing their own stress and that of others, as well as providing a framework for peer support. The median confidence score was 4 (IQR 0) at baseline, 5 (IQR 4-5) post-training. The median familiarity score with SFA principles was 2 (IQR 0) at baseline, 4 (IQR 4-5) post-training. The faculty-wide survey was completed by 18/45 (32.7%) PEM physicians. Among those that completed the feedback survey, 89% had been contacted by a peer supporter and 75% agreed it was valuable. Qualitative feedback emphasized appreciation for timely outreach, as well as feeling valued and supported by colleagues.

Conclusion(s): A structured peer support program integrating SFA training and EHR-based alerts is feasible and well-received by PEM physicians. Further work is needed to evaluate long-term effects on physician well-being, burnout, and retention, as well as explore strategies to scale the program and integrate it with broader institutional wellness initiatives.