Behavioral Economics Workshop: Innovative Intervention for Workplace Challenges 

Activity Overview

In four hours over four weeks, participants learn individually and in groups about how they might use behavioral economics concepts to address a workplace challenge. A facilitator supports each group as they draft a plan for an intervention where better choice architecture, framing, and defaults could improve health behaviors and their area’s work. All groups share their plan for feedback in a virtual session.

Interprofessional groups may form for this activity to address a challenge in their workplace, or individuals may be assigned a case to use with other individual learners. 

Previous learners have drafted plans to improve patient outcomes, reduce waste through a sustainability initiative, and address scheduling complexities. 

Target Audience

Physicians (all specialties), Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, health care administrators, and other health care professionals 

Previous learners say: 

“Speaking with the nurse practitioner on our team helped me realize we had a lot of the same goals.” 

“I appreciate joining a cohort of learners and taking time for discovery in a manner that was not overwhelming.” 

“It was great working in a group with a facilitator to understand the challenges and answer thoughtful questions related to the impact of any small changes we try to make.” 

Educational Objectives

After completing this course, the learner will be able to:  

  1. Define choice architecture and defaults. 

  1. Apply choice architecture and defaults to health and health care scenarios. 

  1. Collaborate with colleagues to address difficult problems and learn from and value their perspectives. 

  1. Identify areas where better choice architecture and defaults are relevant to improving health behaviors and/or the work of health care. 

  1. Plan and propose an intervention where better choice architecture and defaults could improve health behaviors and the work of health care in your area. 

  1. Develop critical communication skills in providing and receiving peer-to-peer feedback. 

Learners are expected to participate in all 4 workshop sessions. Each builds on the prior week's learning, culminating in a report-out session and discussion for all participants. While credit is awarded for each week, successful completion of the course and earning the full certificate of completion requires participation in all 4 sessions.

Sample Intervention Topics

In previous Behavioral Economics Workshops, small groups of physicians, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and administrators raised challenges and drafted interventions that might:

  • Ensure that the discharge pharmacy has adequate time to address prior authorization and other insurance coverage issues for patients, prior to their discharge from the hospital.

  • Improve therapy outcomes for lumbar spine patients.

  • Reduce waste in fluoroscope suites by making it easier to use linen sheets and reusable gowns when patients’ conditions do not require disposable materials—a sustainability and ecological responsibility initiative.

  • Improve enrollment and retention of high-risk patients into a chronic care management program.

Credit Information

Release date: April 2, 2025

Expiration date: October 31, 2025

Amount of CME credit: 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

Amount of Nursing Contact Hours: 5.25 NCPD hours

Pharmacists: 5.25 ACPE contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit

Estimated Length of Time for Completion: 4 hours

Registration fee: $125 per learner

Pre-register or Request More Information

Accreditation and Designation of Credit

Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, Penn Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Jointly Accredited Provider Interprofessional Continuing Education logo

Physicians

The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Penn Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of 5.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity

Nurses

Penn Medicine Nursing is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.  Approval # 124-3-H-15.

Penn Medicine Nursing awards this activity 5.25 NCPD hours.

Pharmacists

Penn Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

This practice-based activity is approved for up to 5.25 ACPE contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit. UAN: JA0000324-0000-20-007-H05-P

To receive credit, you must submit your post-test, evaluation and credit request within 30 days of completion.

Physician Assistants

AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.

PAs may receive a maximum of 5.25 Category 1 credits for completing this activity.

To receive credit, you must submit your post-test, evaluation and credit request within 30 days of completion.

Course Faculty
Acknowledgment of Commercial Support

There was no commercial support used in the development of this educational activity.

Contact

For questions related to this educational activity, contact Penn Medicine Continuing Medical and Interprofessional Education at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania at penncme@pennmedicine.upenn.edu or at 215-898-8005.