Burnout among healthcare professionals has become one of the most urgent challenges facing health systems today, impacting not only staff well-being but also patient care, financial performance, and organizational stability.
This case study highlights how SE Healthcare partnered with a regional health system to address this crisis head-on. By implementing a system-wide Burnout Prevention Program, their organization achieved measurable reductions in clinician burnout, strengthened workforce retention, and realized significant cost savings, all within the first year.
A long-standing, independent public health system serving south-central Oklahoma faced severe burnout across its entire workforce following the COVID-19 pandemic and amid a major expansion, impacting staff well-being, retention, and patient care quality. Compassion fatigue, exhaustion, and widespread disengagement were observed not only in care delivery clinicians but across departments, including pharmacists, emergency responders, HR professionals, and administrative teams alike. Internal survey results reflected opportunities to address challenges associated with burnout.
48% of clinicians reported moderate to high burnout levels
Nursing turnover rates approached 26%, far exceeding historical norms
Exit interviews consistently identified burnout as the primary driver of staff turnover
Key stressors identified included leadership gaps, heavy workloads, emotional strain, and staffing shortages. The estimated cost to replace a single clinician ranged from $50,000 to $60,000, creating significant financial strain. Leadership envisioned a culture shift where employee wellness became a strategic priority, not merely for nurses but for the entire workforce.
“We were tired. Everyone felt the pressure, from the emergency department to HR. We didn’t want a band-aid. We needed a cultural shift.” - Senior Leadership
Leadership recognized they had to lead differently amid mounting challenges exacerbated by a staff that was burned out and burning out. Focusing on initiatives that were not measurable led to frustration and tireless effort. This health system became the first in the country to implement SE Healthcare's Burnout Prevention Program system-wide for all employees, regardless of role or department. Their comprehensive, inclusive solution included:
Burnout Assessments: Using a validated scale, 970 responses were collected, representing a 23.3% participation rate
Targeted Microlearning Modules: Brief educational modules focused on resilience, self-care, and stress management
Analytics Dashboards: Continuous insights to monitor burnout trends across departments, roles, and demographics
Leadership Development: Training on emotional intelligence, communication, and early burnout identification
SE Healthcare collaborated closely with organizational leadership to configure the implementation, tailoring program features to address the system’s unique challenges, such as departmental workload variation and communication breakdowns. Flexible tools and co-branded materials ensured relevance across clinical and non-clinical disciplines alike.
After one full year of implementation, the health system saw significant, measurable improvements in burnout rates, retention, and organizational health, exceeding national averages for similar programs in scope and pace of reduction.
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20% overall system-wide |
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Staff scoring in moderate-to-high burnout dropped from 48% to 38.4%. |
"These short trainings reminded me to take care of myself again. It made a difference after just a few sessions." - Hospital Staff
Improvement By Roles
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Improvement By Department
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Improvement By Demographic
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Improved staff retention lowered recruitment and training costs, while enhanced employee engagement and morale supported better patient outcomes and operational stability. Based on retention trends and average savings per avoided departure, the program likely saved their organization several hundred thousand dollars within its first year. Given the $50,000-$60,000 cost to replace a single clinician, the Burnout Prevention Program quickly delivered ROI as engagement and retention improved.
To maintain and build upon this success, SE Healthcare recommended:
Happier Staff. Healthier Patients. Stronger System.
Through this strategic partnership with SE Healthcare, the health system made remarkable progress in reducing clinician burnout, improving employee retention, and enhancing patient care. The initiative demonstrated that a data-driven, human-centered approach to employee well-being is not merely beneficial but essential for organizational success.