Beyond crisis response: post-crisis recovery infrastructure as a person-centered health-system function

Health systems have well-developed protocols for recognizing and managing clinical crises, while recent reviews suggest that support for clinicians after adverse or emotionally difficult events remains inconsistent, variably implemented, and often misaligned with staff needs. This Perspective proposes post-crisis recovery infrastructure (PCRI) as a person-centered health-systems framework for this interval. PCRI refers to organizational structures, permissions, practices, and pathways that support a proportionate transition from acute clinical intensity into what comes next. The framework responds to evidence that healthcare-worker well-being interventions have disproportionately emphasized individual-level approaches, while organizational conditions such as workload, leadership, time, and psychological safety shape both distress and access to support. PCRI comprises recognition, protected transition, tiered support pathways, and structural accountability. A three-tier continuum is proposed, ranging from immediate low-burden micropractices to facilitated relational support and formal clinical services. Code Calm is presented only as an illustrative Tier 1 micropractice, not as evidence of effectiveness. PCRI is a conceptual and normative design proposal: its effects on clinician well-being, team functioning, patient experience, and person-centered care remain hypotheses requiring empirical evaluation. Future research should examine feasibility, implementation, equity, comparative effectiveness, and unintended consequences across acute-care settings.