In a recent survey by HealthLeaders Media, physician engagement was identified as the predominant challenge that hospitals and health systems face when working with physicians, ahead of other important factors such as governance, data management, revenue cycle, and employment agreements (Thomas, 2013). A subsequent and related profile of health care organizations that successfully address physician engagement issues notes that, "High levels of physician engagement are vital to healthcare leaders who wish to avoid conflict within their organizations" (Commins, 2014).
But what is physician engagement? And is it truly something that health care administrators today should be paying attention to or reflecting upon? To answer these questions, Amer Kaissi (Trinity University) conducted a review of peer-reviewed studies and gray literature reports on physician engagement, identifying many ways the construct has been defined and measured across international settings. In his article published in the most recent issue of International Journal of Health Services, Dr. Kaissi provides a history of the division between physician and management cultures in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, he summarizes varied approaches to define the construct, and he lists the identified determinants, levels, measures, applications, and outcomes of physician engagement. The article also identifies numerous conceptual models and frameworks of physician engagement, and it identifies best practices on enhancing physician engagement that have been discovered and described in national and international studies.
Ultimately, Kaissi ties physician engagement to notions of both active involvement and commitment exhibited by physicians towards the health care organizations they work with as well as processes and conditions created by such organizations to foster and support relationships with physicians. Building from past studies and the varied best practices previously identified, Kaissi develops an integrative framework that health care organizations may apply to enhance physician engagement. He proposes that three strategies must be part of organizations' effective physician engagement efforts: 1) "developing clear and efficient communication channels" with physicians; 2) "building trust, understanding, and respect" with physicians; and, 3) "identifying and developing physician leaders that can help engage the rest of the physicians in the organization" (p. 584). Specific tactics are provided for each of these three strategies, such as developing communication plans, emphasizing information sharing, being involved in physician orientation programs, inviting physicians to "have a seat at the table," establishing clear expectations and responsibilities, and providing ample support and recognition for physician leaders (pp. 584-585). Kaissi concludes by identifying opportunities for future research and calling for the prioritization of improved relations between physicians and health care organization managers, explaining that "enhancing physician engagement...will have far-reaching and positive effects on the clinical, service, and financial outcomes of any health care organization" (p. 589).
What are your thoughts? How does your organization address physician engagement, and in what ways have you found physician engagement efforts to be either successful or challenging? We'd love to hear from you in the comments section!
Articles Citation
Kaissi, A. (2014). "Enhancing physician engagement: An international perspective." International Journal of Health Services, 44 (3), 567-592.
Works Cited
Commins, J. (2014, February 13). "Addressing physician engagement." HealthLeaders Magazine, 17 (1). Retrieved from: http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/MAG-300794/Addressing-Physician-Engagement
Thomas, J.R. (2013). "Physician Alignment in the New Shared Risk Environment." HealthLeaders Media Intelligence Report: September 2013. Retrieved from: http://content.hcpro.com/pdf/content/295631.pdf
No comments:
Post a Comment