p h i l a m e d s o c .org
FEATURE
Recharge Rooms I
n late March 2020, Mirelle Phillips knew a seismic earthquake had erupted globally for healthcare workers and it would only be a matter of time until the tsunami hit. In this case, the tidal wave would be the long-term mental health implications of battling COVID-19.
Physician burnout, defined as a work-related syndrome involving emotional exhaustion, de-personalization, and a sense of reduced personal accomplishment, had already reached global epidemic levels. The 2018 Survey of America’s Physicians Practice Patterns and Perspectives reported that 78% of physicians had burnout, an increase of 4% since 2016. Phillips’ design and technology firm, Studio Elsewhere, was focused on developing mixed-reality environments in collaboration with neuroscientists in hospitals that supported the evaluation and treatment of brain health issues, working with a range of patients who suffered from stroke to severe depression and anxiety. Through her work, she discovered that one of the ways of improving the overall patient experience was to first focus on the provider.
By Bethany Marshall
“We would hear so many stories unfold inside the rooms during that time about the trauma workers were facing in their units. They were also isolated from the rest of their communities, so it became quite a profound experience for them to sit around a virtual campfire and talk about what they were going through and know they weren’t alone,” Phillips shared. For Dr. Dahlia Rizk, the Head of Hospital Medicine at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, the intervention couldn’t have come at a better time. “Each day we were faced with stress and uncertainty as there was still so much unknown about the disease. I had to be separated from my family and young children so that I wasn’t putting them in danger everyday coming home from the hospital. Then I heard about Mirelle’s work from David and knew what a gift it could be for our staff. I quickly brought it to our President so that her team could install it in the hospital.” When Phillips was shown the site, she noticed an emergency triage tent that had previously been used for patients and now was vacant. When she walked in, she immediately could envision it transformed into a sanctuary for workers.
“When she told me what she was thinking, it was hard at first to imagine,” Nicole Porto, the Director of Patient Experience for She worked with Dr. David Putrino, Mount Mount Sinai Downtown, remembered. “The tent was cold, sterile, Sinai’s Director of Innovation of Rehabili- with fluorescent lights. It was hard to imagine it becoming a space tation and Human Performance, to design anyone would want to go to during their break. But I had full and develop a Recharge Room – an enriched confidence and trust in Mirelle’s vision and knew she and her team mixed-reality environment specifically tailored could make something special.” to the psychosocial needs of physicians and Over a weekend, the Studio Elsewhere team transformed the triage staff at a hospital to address burnout. They planned a pilot of the tent into a multi-sensory oasis, filled with silk trees and experiences Recharge Room for high-needs ICU and ER workers. staff could choose through voice-activation. “It was a fairly intuitive Then, almost overnight, a huge number of physicians and nurses became ICU workers once New York City became the global epicenter of the first surge. Dr. Putrino and Phillips quickly worked together to transform his 3,000-square-foot laboratory into a relief hub for staff with three Recharge Rooms. Word of mouth quickly spread through the hospitals about a space in the basement where workers could leave their units for a few minutes and be transported to a beach at sunset or rainforest. During surge, the center was receiving on average, over 300 visits from staff per day.
18 Philadelphia Medicine : Spring 2022
concept, the tent actually already had a cocoon shape, so we were able to create the feeling of being in a welcoming, comfortable space with the experiences, lighting and aroma.”
The space was an instant hit not just for physicians and nurses, but all staff, including EMS members and security personnel. “I love seeing the diversity of roles when you walk into any of our Recharge Rooms. It’s designed to be a space without hierarchy, particularly because these issues impacting mental health extend
