Objective:

To promote wellness in academic residency programs through artistic creation.

Background:

The Synapses Art and Literary Magazine is a Back to Bedside Initiative project offering patients and providers the opportunity to engage with one another through artistic expression. Synapses allows participants to create art that mirrors significant experiences and provides an outlet to share impactful encounters.

Design/Methods:

In this updated iteration, the focus has shifted to patient recruitment from inpatient neurology services. This ongoing prospective observational study surveys participants before and after completing a piece for publication in the Magazine. Hospitalized patients receive supplies and providers participate during Art Day events. Surveys include the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 (GAD-7) for patients, and the Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) and a modified Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OBI) for providers. Qualitative data analysis methods were used for open-ended responses. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results:

Sixty-three pieces have been submitted (59 providers, 4 patients), with many artistic creations ongoing. Participants included 28/59 medical students, 15/59 residents, and 16/59 faculty. Forty-nine pre-surveys (12 patients, 37 providers) and 23 post-surveys (2 patients, 21 providers) have been collected. 21 matched provider surveys were included in analysis after excluding unmatched data. Following Art Day experiences, there was a significant increase in mean values for workplace contribution (p=0.02), workplace enthusiasm (p=0.02), empathy towards patients (p=0.02) and colleagues (p=0.004), and a decrease in workplace dread (p=0.02) and emotional exhaustion (p=<0.0005). Average baseline patient GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were 6.78 and 8, respectively. Narrative analysis demonstrates increased patient openness with their providers.

Conclusions:

Preliminary data suggests improved provider wellness and patient-provider communication. Additional data collection is underway to determine if patient participation leads to improved depression and anxiety scores. Synapses provides an outlet for participants to connect in a unique and meaningful way.