Lotte Dyrbye, MD, MHPE, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Well-being and Chief Well-Being Officer (CWO), will lead a strengthened, integrated approach to workplace well-being at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine in a new leadership role as Executive Director of the newly established Office for Well-Being and the Center for Workplace Well-Being Research, known as CU THRIVE.
Since joining the CU Anschutz School of Medicine in 2021, Dyrbye has built an impressive track record of impact. Under her leadership as the school’s inaugural Chief Well-Being Officer, the school has launched robust initiatives that have:
- Reduced administrative burdens and streamlined faculty affairs processes.
- Enhanced professionalism accountability and expanded faculty development offerings for clinician educators.
- Expanded leadership development programs.
- Elevated the CU Anschutz School of Medicine’s national reputation as a leader in improving the faculty experience.
In her new expanded role, as CWO and Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Well-being, Dyrbye will oversee the Office for Well-Being, which will:
- Conduct and respond to faculty and resident/fellow well-being surveys on a regular cadence.
- Support and coordinate departmental well-being leaders to advance local initiatives to improve well-being.
- Implement evidence-based approaches to mitigate burnout risk, including peer support programs, professional coaching, and commensality groups.
- Develop and disseminate wellness-centered leadership programming and tools to strengthen belonging and shared purpose.
As Executive Director of CU THRIVE, Dyrbye will guide a research agenda focused on work design, organizational culture, and the science of professional fulfillment. CU THRIVE will leverage data analytics, mixed-methods research, and national collaborations to study and optimize the faculty and learner experience. The center also will collaborate with the Institute for Healthcare Quality, Safety and Efficiency to study the workforce impact of quality improvement initiatives.
The Office for Well-being and CU THRIVE will be supported through institutional investment, grant funding, and philanthropy, and will collaborate with national partners including the American Medical Association, Mayo Clinic, Stanford University, and other leading organizations to discover and disseminate best practices and advance the science of well-being.
Dyrbye, a nationally recognized physician, researcher, and leader in burnout prevention and professional fulfillment, expressed enthusiasm for the new Office for Well-being and CU THRIVE. “I am honored to continue this work in partnership with our leaders, departmental well-being champions, and national collaborators,” she says. “Together, we can create meaningful change that supports the well-being of our faculty, trainees, and the communities we serve.”
“Supporting the well-being of our faculty, residents, and fellows is essential to achieving our vision of becoming a Top 10 medical school in 10 years,” says Dean John Sampson, MD PhD, MBA. “Dr. Dyrbye has demonstrated visionary leadership in advancing faculty well-being, and CU THRIVE represents our commitment to supporting our people through meaningful, system-level change. I look forward to the impact her leadership will have as we work together to advance our mission in clinical care, research, and education.”
