How a Physician Associate Used Text Messaging To Get Support for Grief And Burnout
Tracey Piparo is a Physician Associate (PA) with RWJBarnabas Health in New Jersey. She's one of only 200 Physician Associates (PAs) in the US who specializes in palliative care. Tracey began in emergency medicine, where she spent 18 years honing her skills before transitioning to palliative medicine, which she now describes as her true calling.
"I am privileged to walk alongside patients and their families as they navigate the complexities of serious illness," Tracey shares. "My role is to understand their unique goals and values, empowering them to shape their care journey. It's a profound experience that requires empathy, expertise, and a deep commitment to human connection."
As much as she loves the work, Tracey acknowledges that working in healthcare, especially with patients and families during serious illness, can take a significant toll on the well-being of her fellow PAs. "We're also humans facing the same challenges as everyone else,” she says.
Many healthcare institutions fall short in providing adequate support to address burnout, fatigue, and overall well-being, and the stigma surrounding mental health within the medical profession often prevents PAs from seeking help, so Tracey was happy to discover support from Help Texts in 2023, an innovative text-based service offering accessible, confidential, and convenient support via text message. Tracey first used Help Texts to get grief support for herself, her husband, and sister-in-law. "We regularly texted after receiving messages to remark how timely they were, coming at just the right time and providing just the right amount of support,” she says.
After having a positive experience with Help Texts grief support, Tracey was then pleased to learn the company also offers a full year of support for healthcare workers facing burnout & fatigue, as well as support for caregivers caring for a loved one with a terminal illness.
“Help Texts isn't just for PAs,” Tracey explains. “It's also a powerful resource we can offer to our patients' caregivers. By providing easy, accessible, and confidential support, we empower caregivers to better manage their own well-being, which in turn positively impacts the patient's journey."
Tracey has since provided Help Texts subscriptions to family members and friends who’ve shared overwhelmingly positive feedback including:
"I love how it texts me useful information and advice that I can actually think about. I have been recommending Help Texts to people that are going through a tough time." - Cousin, age 29, who lost both parents within 9 months
"I would definitely recommend Help Texts. I found it very helpful without being obtrusive. The topics seem straightforward, and the content is perfect in length." - Friend, age 50, who lost their father
"I don't know what I would do without these messages. Sometimes they are hard to read, but I always go back to read them again. It is just enough support." - Widow, age 53
After connecting with the Help Texts team and learning more about their services, Tracey has become a passionate advocate for expert, text-based grief and mental health support. "I believe that there is awesomeness in the simplicity of texts. As a PA with not only a demanding career but a hectic home life, I appreciate the ability to receive the info when I am able and also appreciate the succinct suggestions that arrive at just the right time. I think we all can benefit from a reminder to PAUSE AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH or to just count to five."
By embracing supportive services like Help Texts, Tracey is convinced that we can increase compassion and create a more resilient healthcare workforce, ultimately benefiting everyone – patients, families, and clinicians alike.