Cleveland Clinic's Coaching Approach Is Improving Retention

When many people hear the word “coach,” they tend to think of a sports coach, who motivates players to improve their own and their team’s performance, often through providing advice and direction. 

The peer-based programs at Cleveland Clinic actually liken that approach more to mentoring, which can be a helpful support role for many. They have added the role of a “developmental coach” in their programs, teaching participants to use a unique coaching model that unlocks the potential within others, focusing on promoting wellness and professional development. Research shows that burnout among physicians is primarily caused by environmental factors, such as time pressures and documentation demands. Through its coaching programs, Cleveland Clinic is empowering physicians and other caregivers, as well as leaders, to resolve difficult workplace challenges. 

“It’s about self-determination,” says Andrea Sikon, MD, executive director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Excellence in Coaching & Mentoring. “Our peer coaches learn how to inquire and listen, to be a thinking partner rather than telling people what you think they should do.” 

She points to a recent environmental problem: A 206% increase since 2019 in the number of MyChart messages from patients that physicians have to answer, often in the evenings when they should be recovering from their busy days. “There’s only so much in this world that you can control,” Sikon says. “Coaching helps physicians take problems like this and think about a path forward.”

This can lead to a double win for healthcare organizations, she says. In addition to empowering leaders and staff to self-manage workplace problems, it can lead them to brainstorm and identify system improvements. 

Cleveland Clinic has two centers that run coaching programs. Employed physicians and PhD scientists receive free training through the Center for Excellence in Coaching & Mentoring, which runs two coaching and mentoring programs. Meanwhile, the Mandel Global Leadership and Learning Institute offers coaching to all other leaders and staff. The Center for Excellence in Coaching & Mentoring also offers training to people outside of the health system.

To date, Cleveland Clinic has trained almost 2,000 participants in healthcare to use coaching skills, inside and outside the health system. Any staff physician can volunteer to become a peer coach and take the one-day coach training offered by the Center for Excellence in Coaching & Mentoring. Cleveland Clinic developed the healthcare-specific coaching curriculum, which is based on the competencies identified by the International Coaching Federation and The Center for Credentialing & Education Board Certified Coaching.  

Some skills taught during training are active listening and empathy. “It’s a skillset that drives connection with another person,” Sikon says. “I think we need those connections more than ever, with people so isolated [due to COVID].” 

There is also an advanced coaching program in CECM. About 135 physicians were selected, due to their high emotional intelligence, to undergo additional coach training. These advanced coaches are helping staff who are both high performers and evolving leaders as well as those who are struggling with especially difficult professional or behavioral challenges. 

Both coaches and coachees report high satisfaction with the program. Ongoing participant surveys show increases in fulfillment, engagement, resilience and academic productivity for both coaches and those being coached.  A 2021 survey found that 197 individuals (both coaches and coachees) said that they had stayed at Cleveland Clinic because of their participation in the physician coaching program. That translates into $133 million in savings when the costs of recruiting new physicians were taken into account.  

Sikon encourages all healthcare organizations to adopt a peer-to-peer coach program. When asked how, she advises pulling together a small team of interested individuals within an organization and then seeking guidance from the growing coaching community in healthcare. “Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good,” Sikon says. “Just jump in. The rewards are immense.”

Maggie Van Dyke is a freelance writer based in the Chicago area.