PAVING THE WAY FOR WELLNESS AND HEALING

Samueli Institute and the leadership of Fort Belvoir Community Hospital (FBCH) collaborated to host a two-day symposium that focused on community and organizational health and well-being. Utilizing a whole-systems health framework, the conference was designed to help leaders and change agents appreciate the relationship between self-care and care for others in building resilience in mind, body and spirit. More than 120 leaders and caregivers from across FBCH staff took part in the event, which included instruction and hands-on demonstrations in healthy eating, mindfulness meditation, wellness, organizational leadership, and developing healing relationships.

Along with traditional instruction and conference, attendees were also given the opportunity to participate in yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation instruction as well as receive acupuncture and massage therapy treatments.

FORT BELVOIR - ON A MISSION TO PROVIDE PATIENT AND FAMILY-CENTERED CARE

One of the largest health care facilities in the U.S. Department of Defense network, FBCH is a joint-service health care system providing world-class medical care to the nation’s wounded, active-duty Service members, retirees and family members. Using the concepts of Optimal Healing Environments, FBCH is designed to increase inpatient and outpatient care for Service members and veterans in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. FBCH was founded in 2011 and built upon principles of patient- and family-centered care and evidence based design.

BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF WELLNESS

Leaders within and outside of the FBCH networks were exposed to healing and wellness practices that they will be able to further employ within the health care community. In a survey, participants expressed great interest in the practices discussed throughout the symposium and wanted to learn more about how to create a wellness clinic within FBCH.

Samueli Institute will be following-up with FBCH in the future to assist in this transition to a wellness-driven community that works beyond the physical aspects of health care and works with patients in a holistic approach to healing.

EXPERTS IN THE FIELD

COL Gregory Gadson, Commander, Fort Belvoir; COL Charles Callahan, Director, Fort Belvoir Community Hospital; and Wayne B. Jonas, M.D., President and CEO of Samueli Institute.

Bonnie Sakallaris, PhD, RN; David Eisenberg, M.D.; Kevin Berry, M.D.; Bruce Cryer; Dawn Wallerstedt, MSN, CRNP; and Kim Adelman, PhD; all of Samueli Institute, and Patricia Deuster, PhD, MPH of the Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences (USUHS).

AREAS OF FOCUS

Whole Systems/Whole People – Wayne B. Jonas, M.D.
Psychological Resilience (Internal Environment) – Dawn Wallerstedt, MSN, CRNP, and Bruce Cryer
Physical Resilience (Behavioral Environment) – Patricia Deuster, PhD, MPH
Physical Resilience (Behavioral Environment) – David Eisenberg, M.D.
Cultural Resilience (Interpersonal Environment) – Bonnie Sakallaris, PhD, RN, and Gail Christopher, DN
Organizational Resilience (Interpersonal Environment) – CAPT Kevin Berry, USN (Ret.), M.D., and Kim Adelman, PhD

 


What Can Samueli Institute do for me?

  • the symposium exposed leaders within and outside of FBCH to healing and wellness practices
  • participants expressed enthusiasm for practices and requested more information on how to create a wellness clinic
  • researchers from the Samueli Institute will be following-up with leaders of FBCH to assist in their transition to a wellness-driven community