Physician engagement drives hospital performance. According to one Gallup study of a particular hospital system, physicians who were engaged were responsible for an average of 3% more outpatient referrals and 51% more inpatient referrals than those who were not engaged. That same study showed that engaged physicians were 26% more productive than those who were less engaged, which they estimated would amount to an additional $460,000, on average, in patient revenue per physician per year.
Although there are a number of reasons why physicians can be difficult to engage, there are some effective methods for getting them onboard. Here are five strategies to get you started:
1. Find common ground.
According to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, this requires a mind shift on the part of hospital administrators from asking how the hospital can engage physicians in their agenda to how the hospital can engage in physicians' agenda. In Hospitals & Health Networks, William Jessee, MD, senior vice president and senior adviser, Integrated Healthcare Strategies, says that hospital executives must understand the goals and desires of the medical staff and, conversely, the medical staff must understand the goals and interests of the organization. "This will help to align interests and create a shared vision," he says. According to the IHI, two issues that are of particular interest to both hospitals and physicians are patient outcomes and personal waste, particularly wasted time. Therefore, those two areas of concern might be a good place to start a conversation with physicians as to how you can work together for the mutual benefit of both the hospital and the medical staff.
2. Outline the benefits of any proposed initiative.
Physicians are more likely to be engaged in hospital programs or initiatives if they can see what's in it for them or how it will help their patients. Let physicians know how what you are proposing will improve patient safety or care, save them time and frustration, reduce hospital waste and/or decrease costs. All of those things are important to physicians, either directly or indirectly. Keep in mind that even though many physicians are not hospital employees, they still have a stake in the hospital's overall success.
3. Show them the data.
Physicians are scientists, and as such, measurable data is important to them. Therefore, if you are trying to engage physicians in an initiative to improve medication safety, show them hospital data on medication errors and near misses so they can see there is a need for such a project. It's also important to show physicians measurable evidence of success once the project has been implemented. "The more you can present data to show how the methodology you’re using has driven improvements in overall performance, reductions in error or improved finances, the more they will support the change you’re trying to make," says Kevin Krosten, MD, in HealthCatalyst.
4. Enlist champions.
Physicians often respect the opinions of their peers, so enlisting a physician who is passionate about effecting change to champion your cause can help with your struggle to engage other physicians.
5. Improve communication.
Keep messages to physicians clear and concise. Also, let them know that at the beginning of any project that it will be made clear to everyone involved who needs to be informed of what and when; this will keep physicians from being inundated with e-mails, memos and phone messages.