How to Get Physician Wellness Programs Funded—And Why It Matters More Than Ever

For years, I’ve watched healthcare systems across the country spend money on wellness initiatives that didn’t create real change. 

Though well-intentioned, many programs miss the mark—offering brief inspiration without tools for transformation.

In 2024, a long-held dream of mine came into full action: I was able to lead multiple wellness retreats for physicians that were both fully-funded and led to both in-the-moment transformations and long-term relief.

These weren’t symbolic wellness efforts.

These were immersive, experiential programs, grounded in evidence and designed to create lasting impact for physicians, teams, and institutions alike.

Effective wellness programming not only changes lives—it gets funded.

The key is knowing how to design it, how to pitch it, and who to invite in.

What Worked: Lessons From the Field

The wellness retreats and workshops I led this past year were deeply transformative, and the demand was immediate. One retreat filled in two hours. We secured a second grant before the first event even happened largely because of the outpouring of interest and strong institutional buy-in.

How did this happen?

1. Believe it’s possible.

Too often, we assume “my department would never fund that.” When we approach advocacy with confidence and grounded optimism, we open doors. Wellness funding exists—we need to speak the right language and solve the right problems.

2. Experience it yourself- before you ask.

Every funded program I’ve led began with one person, often a leader, experiencing coaching or attending a retreat. 

Personal transformation leads to authentic advocacy. 

When you embody the benefits of wellness, others take notice—and want what you’ve found.

3. Invite leadership into the experience.

Leaders can’t champion wellness if they’re burned out themselves. 

When they attend a retreat or workshop—not to audit, but to participate as humans—they shift. From that place, they can fund and sustain meaningful change.

4. Offer to help set it up.

Sometimes what’s needed is a liaison. All programs moved forward because one person raised their hand, made an introduction, or offered to facilitate the connection. 

When you work with someone who’s experienced and done this before, like me, the lift is much lighter than you think.

5. Get creative with funding sources.

Consider

• Philanthropy grants

• Departmental discretionary funds

• CME and leadership development budgets

• Quality improvement and patient care experience funding

• Wellness committee resources

• Cost-sharing models

Meaningful wellness can and is funded when you position it as a solution to a real and pressing problem.

What Makes a Program Worth Funding?

A wellness initiative is worth investing in when it is:

• Experiential and restorative (not just educational)

• Grounded in evidence and meaningful outcomes

• Built to foster community and belonging

• Designed to equip participants with usable tools

• Aligned with leadership and institutional goals

When programs help physicians feel better on a cellular level, that impact ripples outward—to patient care, team morale, retention, and even institutional reputation.

We don’t need more wellness that checks a box. We need programming that works—programming that is felt, remembered, and integrated long after the day ends.

Want to learn more?

Listen to this Mindful Healers Podcast Episode 247 on this exact topic.

If you’re a physician leader or wellness advocate ready to bring something truly meaningful to your institution, I would love to help you make it happen.

Together, we can create experiences that restore, reconnect, and reimagine what’s possible for those who care for others.  Let’s work together.

Become both a liaison for wellness and a model of wellness by engaging in personal coaching: https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/coaching . Try out a retreat yourself. www.jessiemahoneymd.com/retreats

Explore retreats for your team: https://www.jessiemahoneymd.com/team-coaching-retreatsBring me to speak at your next leadership event:www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking