Google's Employee Perks - Could It Work For Healthcare?

Google's Employee Perks – Could It Work For Healthcare?

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On a recent visit to California, I was treated to an informal tour at Google. By the end of the tour, I was ready to sign on. It wasn’t so much the work, but I wanted to enjoy all the employee perks. I would start off dining at the cafe featuring local, organic produce in those trendy California-style dishes. Then, with a little time left on my lunch hour, I would toss my dirty clothes in one of the many washing machines, and hop on a colorful Google bike for a spin around campus.

My brother, an avid cyclist and Google employee, happily participates in the program where Google contributes to a charity of his choice for each day he self-powers himself to work. I couldn’t believe all the other things my brother told me Google provides. I started getting Google-Envy.

Google Perks: (Click here for a complete list)

Free Dining – 3 meals a day- with a variety of high quality cafeterias and cafes.
Free On -Site Laundromats.
Fitness Facilities
Medical and Dental Insurance
Coffee/Snack Bars so you’re never more than 150 feet from refreshment.
Employee Assistance Program with free short term counseling.
Haircuts on site for $20.
Oil Change and Car Wash Services available on-site for a charge.
Free Shuttle Service to and from work.
Sleeping Pods for napping.
Massage Voucher on your birthday.

It would be nice, but naive, to think that Google does this entirely out of the goodness of its Google -sized heart. Yet that doesn’t mean these amenities designed to maximize employee productivity don’t create some valuable goodwill and have other important benefits.

I’ve been thinking about this Google model and wondering what can be applied to Healthcare to counteract burnout and improve moral and patient care. Granted, Hi-Tech and Healthcare are birds of a different feather, and can hardly be compared from a financial standpoint, but it’s worth having a look. If something isn’t done to improve the day-to-day satisfaction with medicine, more and more doctors are going to be Googling to find new careers.

If I let my imagination run wild, what would a Googlized Healthcare Organization look like in terms of employee perks? Here’s one possibility with a wellness focus:

Mental Health/Wellness Services
Dedicated Physician and Staff Wellness Program
Assessments for Burnout, Risk for Substance Abuse, Depression, Suicide
Confidential Referrals for Counseling
Stress Management Seminars
Peer Mentoring/Coaching

Prevention/Education
Speakers, Workshops and Retreats on Wellness Topics
Monthly Newsletter
Lending Library

Additional Offerings
Healthy Dining Options
Exercise facility
Meditation and Mindfulness Classes
Confidential Discussion Groups
Yoga
Massage
Stress Reduction Room

This vision does NOT have the healthcare entity footing the bill for all these things. Many of these services could be provided as a convenience for those who choose to pay for them. For Google, it has proven worthwhile to have services such as haircuts made more convenient by having a mobile salon on-site.

If a healthcare organization makes physician and staff wellness a priority, the message received by employees is completely different than the, “We have to maximize profits and the bottom line. Can you see a few more patients?” refrain. And this is not to imply that the business model of maximizing profits is disregarded in any sense of the word. Rather, it is an understanding that pro-actively helping physicians and staff to stay healthy and satisfied in their work will pay off through improved patient care, greater job retention, decreased malpractice and an enhanced work morale.

The need to help healthcare organizations better care for its own was not lost on the founders of Physician Wellness Services. According to the website, they offer a “soup to nuts” array of services ranging from counseling referrals and interventions for disruptive physicians to concierge services for child-care and travel arrangement.

While concierge services can be nice, I would be thrilled to see some more mental health and wellness resources made available to healthcare providers, and an end to the stigma for using them. Hair cuts and oil changes can wait.

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Developing A Detailed Plan – Catherine's Blog on February 26, 2018 at 8:47 pm

[…] https://doctorscrossing.com/2011/04/googles-employee-perks-could-it-work-for-healthcare/ […]

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"Heather’s approach was great! She would listen to me and helped me appreciate who I am."

I remember when she said ‘do your resume before our next meeting’, I was about to push back but she gently nudged me along and I’m glad I did exactly what she wanted me to do. We also did interview prep via Zoom and I was offered a great job in UM. She has continued to follow up even after I was offered this job, helping me with pointers about negotiating. I will totally recommend the Doctors Crossing and Heather to anyone feeling stuck like me and looking for a great coach! Thank you Heather!

- Modupe Oladeinde, MD

Family Medicine

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- Tim Owolabi, MD

Family Medicine

“I was at a crossroads in my medical career. I asked myself, "Do I stay or do I go?"

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- Lynette Charity, MD

Anesthesiologist

“I am forever grateful to Heather for helping me to recognize, I am more than just my M.D."

Heather helped me understand that I am more than just a doctor and that my experiences in clinical medicine are valuable in so many arenas. As a result I realized that there are other ways to use my background, still be able to help people and continue to challenge myself and grow. To that end I discovered coaching - specifically health coaching. I am on my journey becoming a health coach and truly loving it!

- Gail Miller, MD

OB/Gyn physician

“Thank you, Heather, for helping me transform my career, my faith and my life."

What started out as an initial thirty-minute consultation call turned into an amazing four-year journey that transformed my life, personally, spiritually and professionally.

Heather helped me to discover my passions...by doing so, I discovered I still had a calling for medicine but it now came from a place of truth...

Today...my wife and I are opening our first concierge medicine clinic in a community we love. I’m actually excited to have the opportunity to practice medicine the way I believe it’s meant to be, with a focus on the doctor-patient relationship and an emphasis on faith. I know if I had not reached out to Dr. Fork, my life would not be where it is at today.

- Steve Lapke, MD

Papillion, NE

“Heather gave me the confidence to create a new livelihood by following my heart."

She is incredibly knowledgeable about the range of careers available to physicians and provided me with advice and connections which I would not have found on my own. From the start she encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try different things. I was laid off unexpectedly in early 2017, and Heather gave me the confidence to create a new livelihood by following my heart and making decisions based on trust, not fear. Now I am enjoying working part-time in a clinical setting in addition to teaching and writing.

- Sue Zimmermann, MD

Orthopedic Surgeon

“After months of struggling to find a non-clinical career that matched my values and passion, I stumbled upon Heather's website which truly changed my life."

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- Devki Patel, MD

Pathologist

“Working with Heather ultimately helped me leave my job in corporate healthcare and find a path that was much more fulfilling."

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If you are reading this as a “Type A” surgeon who doesn’t think coaching is for you, I would encourage you to give Heather a shot. I’m very glad I did!

- Jay MacGregor, MD

Colorectal Surgeon

“I gained the confidence in myself to develop an action plan that blended the best parts of my experiences and interests into a cohesive career."

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Emergency Medicine Physician

“The simple truth is - Heather Fork totally helped me change my life."

I never would have had the courage to make the changes I’ve made without her unwavering support, wealth of knowledge and commitment.

When I first started working with Heather, I was downtrodden...I’d been practicing medicine for 20+ years and yet had never quite found my place. During the first year I worked with Heather, I left the practice I’d been working at, and recreated an entirely new professional purpose.

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- Amie Langbein, DO

Family Physician

"After 30 years in academic medicine, I wanted a career change but had no idea where to start. Medicine was all I knew."

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- Karen Barnard, MBBCh, MPH

Endocrinologist and Life Coach

"Heather was my source of hope during a time when I felt stuck and confused. She gave me the permission and confidence to reach higher than I believed I could."

After graduating from residency and starting a family, I lost sight of why I became a physician. I struggled to convince myself to stay in a career that was clearly the wrong fit for me and my family. My anxiety about work was at an all-time high when I reached out to Heather. She provided something that my mentors, friends, and family could not – rather than just offering career advice, she changed the way I think about my life so that I could understand how my career would fit into it. I realized I wasn’t ready to give up on medicine and eventually found a job in academic medicine. I finally feel that excitement for medicine that I used to feel when I was in training. More importantly, I feel like I can be the role model to my young daughter who may one day also face similar challenges between career and family. Thank you, Heather, for all your kindness, support, and skillful coaching! The experience was life-changing!

- Yuri Shindo, MD

Internal Medicine Physician

"As a Physician, your personal and even professional needs are often overlooked. I learned how to prioritize my career goals by working with Dr. Heather Fork."

She taught me how to put into practice what I knew in theory, that taking care of myself was a priority. I learned to give myself permission to make the career choices that would give me the work-life balance I desperately craved and needed. The process of confronting fears and insecurities was a bit scary, but well worth it in the end. I am now a happier version of myself with a non-clinical job that I truly enjoy!

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Family Medicine

"After 10 years in outpatient family medicine I felt stuck and knew I needed a change but I didn’t know where to begin. Thankfully I found Heather and she guided me every step of the way."

She helped me carefully assess my interests, strengths and passions while also providing me with constructive changes to implement in my job search and resume. With Heather’s help, I just landed a fully remote UM position and I am also exploring coaching as well. Now I feel like the possibilities are endless and I’m excited for this next chapter in the nonclinical world! Thank you Heather for changing my life for the better.

- Ana Jacobellis, DO

"I'm truly thankful to have had the opportunity to be coached by Heather, she is not only a resourceful mentor but a wise and supportive friend. I'm honored to recommend Heather to all my friends and colleagues."

I had been a practicing Internist for 20 years when I reached a point when I needed to make a serious change in my career path. While I enjoyed seeing patients, I was not satisfied with my life-work balance. My job was taking me away from my family and left me little time and energy to do other things that are important and meaningful to me. I came across Dr. Fork's podcast; The Doctor's Crossing Carpe Diem Podcast, it is such an informative and enjoyable podcast for any physician who wants to do more with their career and life in general. Then I had the pleasure to get career coaching from Heather, it was truly an amazing experience. Heather has broad knowledge of all the different career paths that are available for physicians, she is so insightful and very easy to talk to. She helped me clarify my goals, examine my own mindset and definition of success. Together we developed a clear plan and actionable steps to reach these goals. I eventually made a career transition to a remote non-clinical position that allows me to do meaningful work which aligns with my personal and professional goals and priorities.

- Abbey Awad, MD

Internal Medicine

"There have been a handful of people who have come into my life and changed it, and Heather is one of those people."

From the very first interaction with Heather, it became abundantly clear that she possessed a systematic approach and a methodology firmly rooted in my focusing on my goals and aspirations. Heather's coaching sessions helped me dismantle limiting beliefs and unearth the capable woman, mother, and physician within me. Under Heather's guidance, I began to dream again. I rediscovered my passion for writing, found the courage to share my stories, and even launched my own coaching practice. Today, I specialize in helping others conquer imposter syndrome and overcome burnout, empowering them to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives. Working with Heather fundamentally shifted my perspective and allowed me to show up authentically in every facet of my life, resulting in a profound sense of fulfillment.

I am deeply grateful that I can continue my work in the emergency department and serve my community as a physician as well as a coach. Working with Heather was a transformative gift that enabled me to rediscover my true self, find clarity in my life's purpose, and unlock my full potential. Through her guidance, I not only reignited the powerful, confident, and bold version of myself I had lost sight of but also realized the boundless possibilities that lay ahead.

- Maria Dominguez

Emergency physician and coach

"I'm so glad that I worked with Heather last year."

Making a career shift can be a lonely time, and Heather was there every step of the way with encouraging words. She helped me gain a better understanding of the breadth of careers available to physicians, as well as giving me the tools to make that leap possible. My life is better than I ever thought possible. I'm happier, healthier and doing work that I love. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner.

Caitlin M.

"Heather provided invaluable insight during our one-time consultation."

She quickly helped me recognize an area where I was limiting myself and encouraged me to explore new possibilities. Her sound and supportive guidance empowered me to take the next steps in launching my parent coaching services. I’m grateful for her support and highly recommend her expertise!

Reshma Shah MD, MPH

"Heather taught me that 'the truth will set you free'."

I sought Heather’s guidance after practicing outpatient internal medicine for many years, as it was getting difficult to balance my role as a clinician while meeting my needs and those of my family. After our first consultation, I felt like I was seen and heard for the first time in my career. Working with Heather helped me identify my strengths, weaknesses, fears, and goals, and ultimately guided me to a non-clinical role that better aligned with my needs and aspirations. I am deeply indebted to Heather for the impact she has had on my personal and professional development. She is one of the most influential people in my life and I continue to seek her guidance years after our initial encounter. She once said that “we are happiest and most successful when we are using our skills and abilities at their highest level.” Heather will help you discover your truth. Thank you for your incredible work and friendship!

Megan Leivant, MD

Internal Medicine