Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare
House of Delegates
Annual Convention May 6-7, 2017
Philadelphia, PA
WHEREAS the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare is a national union representing
more than 14,000 interns, residents and fellows in the United States;
WHEREAS the country is facing an epidemic of physician burnout and suicide;
WHEREAS we are committed to the “Quadruple Aim” of improving population health, increasing patient
satisfaction, reducing costs, and improving physician well-being;
WHEREAS resident physician burnout is driven by many factors beyond the number of hours worked;
WHEREAS the nature and intensity of a resident physician’s work, his or her working conditions, and
his or her ability to bring about meaningful change in broken systems all contribute to that resident’s
well-being;
WHEREAS resident physicians who are actively engaged in system improvement in their workplace
are more equipped to resist burnout.
WHEREAS patients suffer when their physicians are overtired, burned out or ill-equipped to change
dysfunctional systems of care.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Delegates of CIR commit the organization to addressing resident well-being at the institutional,
regional, and national levels;
That CIR work to decrease non-physician work for residents and increase the proportion of time spent
on direct patient care and education, and increase resident engagement in quality improvement
initiatives;
That CIR advocate for work schedules that are centered around both patient and resident physician
well-being;
That CIR identify and share solutions that address root causes and structural reasons for resident
physician burnout at its member hospitals;
That CIR advocate at its member hospitals and with national organizations such as the Accreditation
Council for Graduate Medical Education that the burden of resident physician well-being is shared
between the residents and employers who must be committed to resident-informed system
transformation;
That CIR advocate for appropriate compensation, fully paid health insurance and appropriate time off
for all residents as an important component of resident well-being;
And that CIR issue a public statement of the above commitments.
