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Learn MoreThe Q1 2016 Provider Advisoris focused squarely on the onboarding process and how providers are affected by it. This post excerpts a Q&A with HealthStream’s Nick Ferreira about some special considerations concerned with managing employed physicians.
We spoke to customers and experts concerning the management of physicians as employees and formulated these five key areas of focus:
Physician roadblocks look different than those of other employees. Physicians are concerned with anything that presents a barrier to practice, and the barrier may differ depending on specialty. Surgeons may struggle with streamlining blocktime maintenance while radiologists might want to maximize flexibility in work location. ED physicians may see patient process efficiency as a barrier while cardiologists might struggle to attain flexibility in when they do Cath Lab procedures.
These issues can’t be solved with a better performance appraisal or more employee engagement data. Addressing the roadblocks requires different thinking and influence than the typical talent management challenges. HR may need to collaborate with other resources in the organization to ensure there is a smooth process for discovering and addressing physician-specific challenges.
Facility-to-Physician: Communicate to Build Relationships
Physicians want to know they are part of the patient team. How we communicate to them goes a long way in changing that perception to a reality—and the reality is that relationships are important, and relationships help create and maintain a better practice environment. Mona Tucker from Seton Medical Center, Harker Heights recommends “Communicate, communicate, communicate—get to know physicians very well and develop real relationships with them; also help them build their relationships with others.” According to a 2015 HFMA survey, less than 40% of physicians believe the hospital treats them fairly in terms of the business relationships.
At the least, standard employee communications, or a version of it, should reach the physician. Department level success stories, the facility’s financial results, and notices of social events are all important to build that relationship. Information that is worthy of repeating in other settings, such as the number of specific specialty procedures per year, also helps physicians build their own business relationships. Where physicians are not official employees, ensure they have an email address for that facility. These small actions help build those critical relationships.
Physician-to-Facility: Give Physicians a (Meaningful) Voice
Physicians must feel they have a meaningful voice toward leadership and their colleagues. Aside from communication to build strong relationships (as mentioned above), we must give physicians a voice on how goals are set and how a “bill becomes law” in the facility. Yet to give physicians a meaningful voice we must first speak to physicians with a meaningful voice. For example, we must use data-driven arguments and be prepared to discuss that data, results, and next steps.
Physicians then need a mechanism to allow their opinions to be heard—at all levels. We must involve physicians and clinical leaders in major decisions and allow their input very early. Top-down decisions that occur without physicians’ knowledge usually garner poor reactions, unless it is a new regulatory change where there is no choice. Like any employee, physicians should have a voice in the key issues within their areas of expertise and on matters that affect their practice environment.
Physicians are aware they are a different type of employee— at least culturally. They may feel like outsiders who lack critical insider knowledge. As part of the patient care delivery team, physicians should not be left figuring out whether they are part of the culture or how to break into the culture.
Something as simple as giving that physician a facility email address or the code to the staff refrigerator may build disproportionate positive social capital for them. Inviting physicians to employee events, such as job fairs and social appreciation events, also helps other employees to see physicians as part of the culture. Simple actions can make a person feel part of the internal culture.
Investment in physicians is often a touchy subject for all leaders. We know investment is needed, yet decisions about how and where to invest are anything but simple. Between different specialties and demographic needs of the patient mix, almost any investment decision comes under scrutiny from one party or another.
We found that relationship-building and respect-building investments usually have high payoffs. For example, while capital equipment investment usually shows physicians that their “craft” and practice area is valued, the hospital recognizes that it is not necessarily better or more advanced equipment, but different or more diverse equipment that makes an impact on how physicians can practice. Another example occurs within continuing education, required for many specialties and subspecialties. A certification from The American Board of Internal Medicine can run upwards of $4,000 for application, fees, and exams. Yet another example occurs in physician recruiting activities. It is not just a signing bonus that’s needed—although Merritt Hawkins’ 2014 Review of Physician and Advanced Practitioner Recruiting Incentives indicates that 70% of their physician searches included a signing bonus. Beyond that bonus, it takes getting leaders in the organization (CMO, CEO, and CFO) to take time from their busy schedules to meet with physicians when they visit.
When investing to build relationships and respect, effort and time can be more valuable than dollars.
HealthStream’s learning management system and healthcare training solutions support medical training initiatives and allow for the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceBe confident in your staff’s ability to reduce risk by providing compliance training that changes behavior.
View All ProductsDevelop next-level people for next-level care by prioritizing quality and safety improvements.
View All ProductsEstablish a culture of belonging with education supporting DEI, wellness, engagement, and leadership development.
View All ProductsUtilize patient access solutions and advanced reimbursement solutions to manage clinical denials and improve your organization’s reimbursement strategy.
View All ReimbursementExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ProductsOur competency development solutions personalize learning for clinicians to bridge the gap between theory and practice for your nurse residents.
View All ProductsEnhance maternal & child nursing care with solutions focused on improving the quality of care for mothers, infants, and children.
View All ProductsAddress staffing orientation challenges to easily achieve and maintain certification with our emergency and acute care training solutions.
View All ProductsAs a premier provider of healthcare education, we are committed to promoting safer, more successful surgical and sedation outcomes for each and every patient.
View All ProductsOur solutions are designed to cater to the needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and organizations dealing with illnesses or chronic conditions.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare workforce management is essential. We provide advanced scheduling solutions for organizations to solve issues such as nurse retention
View All ProductsComprehensive, industry-leading provider onboarding and credentialing software that validate health outcomes and support provider assessment.
View All CredentialingOur affordable CVO credentialing services establish patient safety by enabling primary source verification for your healthcare organization.
View All ProductsIntegrate with Epic to validate and add new providers directly to your provider master file.
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