Spotlight on Joy: A Conversation with Herb Schumm, MD

Founder at Schumm Associates Former Physician Executive at Bon Secours Mercy Health

Leaders Growing Leaders

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what brought you to physician/APP well-being.

I am Herb Schumm. Currently, I lead my own consulting and coaching organization, which helps those who help others. We provide services to individuals and organizations. Prior to this role, I worked for 23 years with Bon Secours Mercy Health as a physician executive.  The last six years focused on clinician well-being and leadership development. While they seem different, they are highly integrated and synergistic.

Finding Harmony Between Colleagues

Has there been a figure or experience in your life that compelled you to become a part of the well-being conversation?

One early formative initiative that formed my interest in well-being was a challenge from my CEO. In 2005, he wanted to address professional behavior among physicians and nurses, no small task at that time.  That challenge led me to learn from Vanderbilt’s G Hixson and J. Pichert.  Their work with distressed physicians made me look for a better way than the traditional reprimand, restrict, and remove approach. We could learn from peer review, protect our patients, and heal our professionals.  When I began to look beyond behavior, I saw ineffective systems and hurting providers.  Then I came across Tate Shanafelt's work, which provided a refreshingly practical academic approach to the endemic challenge that we face.

The Whole Physician

What is one project or initiative you’ve been a part of that has made a positive impact in your healthcare circles? What were some of the challenges you had to overcome?

In 2016, I led work focused on our physicians' and APCs' well-being. I discovered the Coalition for Physician Well-being and its Medicus Integra program.  Medicus Integra provided a framework for our strategy and tactics to develop a comprehensive program. The survey process for Medicus Integra provided both accountability and validation of our work.  This initiative demonstrated how many people in our organization are willing to go above and beyond to help ensure the well-being of our clinicians.  Just like quality and safety, well-being impacts everything-bottom line, retention, patient satisfaction, and risk.

Lifelong Learning

What sentiment would you like to leave for those looking to enter the conversation on well-being?

If you are entering this arena, I would offer three suggestions. First, assess your own well-being and take care of yourself. Many people want to help others before they care for themselves. Second, learn from others. I already mentioned three published leaders in this area. I encourage you to look at others who are leading in this area.  Finally, remember that small steps are better than no steps. We often get paralyzed by the big project or initiative and lose sight of the needs in front of us.

Watch Dr. Schumm's latest webinar with the Coalition for free for a limited time.

Thank you to Herb Schumm, MD for participating in the Spotlight on Joy series! Dr. Schumm is an active Board Member of the Coalition for Physician & APP Well-Being as of March 2026.