Frontiers: Shared Purpose: Capitalizing on the Hospital-Physician Relationship

Lead articles by Joseph S. Bujak, M.D.; and Chris Howard

Softbound, 54 pp, Winter 2003, ISSN 0748-8157
Order code: WWW1-J477,
Price:$29.00

(Taken from the Editorial)

It is distressing to note that physicians are increasingly dissatisfied with their work, that dissatisfaction resulting from perceived loss of autonomy, ethical conflicts, and negative media portrayals. Does anyone doubt that this carries over into the hospital environment?

Another note of concern was raised by Jeff Goldsmith, a noted healthcare futurist, at a conference in 2002 when offering suggestions for what hospital executives need to do to navigate the intense environmental turbulence over the next few years. The first item on his list was "reconciliation with clinical staff." As another example of the situation, Spence Meighan, M.D., remembered as a prolific author and highly respected faculty member of the Estes Park Institute, reported to me before he passed away in January 2003 that hospital-physician relationships were as bad right now as he could remember.

Although it is tempting to point fingers at those we think should be held responsible for the relationship difficulties that now exist, a better strategy might be to think critically about why the problem exists and what can be done to make these relationships better. To help us achieve these objectives, Frontiers has asked two well-known and highly respected persons to speak to these issues. The first article is written by Joseph S. Bujak, M.D. Bujak is vice president of medical affairs at the Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The second lead is by Chris Howard, executive vice president of Healthfirst Physician Management in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Both Bujak and Howard are clear and consistent in their advice that relationships are built on trust, careful listening to others, inclusion in shared decisions, and a single focus on the care that is delivered to patients. These may appear to be both simple and obvious rules for organizational effectiveness. However, it is worth pointing out that healthcare executives who do not attend to the relationship needs of all their key stakeholders risk tearing apart the very fabric of their organizations. Making all persons feel valued and an important part of the entire healthcare delivery team is in fact a core activity of healthcare executives.