# Developing an Intervention Package to Promote High Quality Connections Among Healthcare Providers

> **NIH ALLCDC K01** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $107,984

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Lauren E. Benishek, PhD, is an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist and Assistant Professor in the
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and core
faculty in the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality. Dr. Benishek's long-term career goal is to
improve outcomes meaningful to healthcare workers and their patients by facilitating growth of
psychologically healthy workplaces that protect employees from harm while simultaneously bolstering
their physical, mental, and social well-being. This goal includes becoming an independent investigator
conducting rigorous, interdisciplinary research that advances the science and practice of occupational safety
and health psychology. To this end, Dr. Benishek builds on and expands the skills and research experiences
afforded from her doctoral and postdoctoral training. Specifically, she will pursue advanced training and
mentoring in (1) positive organizational psychology, (2) employing qualitative methods and analysis, and (3)
applying implementation science. The specific aims of the proposed research are: (1) Conduct a systematic
review to refine an integrated, transdisciplinary conceptual model that describes core components of high-
quality connections (HQCs) and identify a list of candidate HQC interventions; (2) Identify and select individual
and system-level interventions for a multi-pronged intervention package to improve HQCs in healthcare; and
(3) pilot test the HQC intervention package and evaluation tools within an anesthesiology department. As such,
the proposed research aligns with NIOSH's Strategic plan to promote safe and healthy work design and well-
being by addressing challenges pertaining to the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector and the Total
Worker Health cross-sector. The proposed research also meets research-to-practice (r2p) objectives by
describing a research program that identifies evidence-based best practices and applies them to a real-world
healthcare work context. Importantly, the proposed work addresses the burden of an epidemic affecting more
than 50% of physicians who experience burnout by addressing the need to create a more empathetic and
supportive culture of belonging among this group of workers and promises to have impact by taking the first
step towards developing the knowledge and tools needed to build social connections in healthcare.
Anticipated outputs of the proposed research include an intervention package for improving providers' HQCs
and publications and presentations describing findings. Intermediate outcomes include local policy changes
that support HQCs and directions for improving and scaling interventions for greater success and broader
adoption. Expected end outcomes include greater healthcare worker well-being and sense of community and
belonging that translates to improved patient care quality and experience. Completing the proposed research
stands to meaning...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10215224
- **Project number:** 5K01OH011733-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lauren E. Benishek
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $107,984
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2022-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10215224

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10215224, Developing an Intervention Package to Promote High Quality Connections Among Healthcare Providers (5K01OH011733-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10215224. Licensed CC0.

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