R. Scott Boots MPA

R. Scott Boots founded the Health Cares Exchange Initiative (HCEI) in 1992 in response to his experience with caregiver compassion fatigue and burnout firsthand. Through HCEI, Mr. Boots developed a dynamic, empowering and unique self-care skills building seminar through the first-ever nationwide focus groups with paid and non-paid care providers, adapting and delivering it for a variety of audiences across the US and UK. He initially focused on paid care providers, administrators, and family/volunteer care providers, then expanded his audiences to include research administrators, educators, persons living with chronic illness or addiction, persons living with minority stress, clergy, social workers and others. Smith recognized that burnout creates huge and costly gaps in healthcare access and delivery, employee absenteeism and resignations, preventable workplace errors, and even patient (and employee) mortality.

This wellness seminar helps participants to understand their unique journeys and needs, identifying stressors and responding in healthy ways. Through a series of pairs discussion, writing, and experiential exercises participants come to better understand how they can better care for themselves and others – but prioritizing selfcare.