Fostering a Culture Where Physicians Thrive: Achieving High Professional Satisfaction and Delivering Exceptional Quality Care

Health systems and physician organizations face significant challenges today, especially in primary care. Catastrophic levels of physician burnout and an anticipated shortage of up to 55,200 primary care doctors in the next decade are urgent issues that demand attention. Moreover, many health systems and physician organizations currently face financial struggles, exacerbating this already challenging situation.

 As the chief medical officer of a physician enterprise that has achieved a remarkable 98 percent retention rate for our physicians and consistently high levels of quality in care delivery, I can attest that it is possible to keep physicians engaged and connected to the joy of practicing medicine even in today's challenging environment.

Here are three key strategies that have proven effective in promoting physician satisfaction and retention.

Create a Structure for Physician and Clinician Participation in Decision-Making

Including the clinical staff in the decision-making process for new workflows or policies, new technology, and organizational changes is critical for success and can lead to greater professional satisfaction, higher rates of retention, a deeper connection and affinity to the strategic direction and success of the organization. I saw this firsthand in a prior role when our physician practice needed to select and implement an electronic medical records (EMR) system. Typically, EMRs have long implementation times. However, by setting up a technology committee with subject matter experts and physician involvement, we achieved a 100 percent paperless system within 90 days of implementation.

Establishing a comprehensive framework for physician participation at all levels is paramount. At Esse Health, we ensure physicians are actively involved in every aspect, from the board to various committees. Our structure incorporates a clinical council consisting of department chairs and operations leadership, which serves as a communication conduit and oversees the work of all other committees. We have also implemented committees such as the performance improvement committee and the physician success task force, collaborating closely with physicians to identify innovative solutions to identified challenges. This approach has revolutionized our physician engagement and empowerment.

Integrate Technology with Physician Workflows

By incorporating technology into physician workflows, my organization has optimized patient care, streamlined administrative processes, and improved communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals.

Effective technology implementation in physician practices often requires customized solutions aligning with existing workflows or perhaps even creating new workflows that improve current processes. It's about understanding the technology capabilities and how they will be applied practically in daily patient care and practices.

Healthcare leaders should collaborate with physicians to tailor technologies to their specific workflow needs, enhancing the experience of both physicians and patients and ultimately leading to better patient outcomes and satisfaction. This includes incorporating workflow elements into training and being present during the implementation process to ensure the technology is a valuable tool rather than creating extra or unnecessary work for physicians. We can seamlessly integrate technology into our practices, improve workflow, and optimize patient outcomes.

Actively Encourage a Culture of Innovation

Fostering a culture of innovation should be part of every physician enterprise. At my organization, we regularly solicit ideas from our team of physicians and all employees to keep improving and growing. Recently, we launched a company-wide lean challenge, inviting all staff members to submit ideas for improvement, with prizes as incentives. This initiative is an excellent example of creating a culture where everyone feels involved, engaged, empowered, and responsible for the company's success.

It's truly amazing to see what groundbreaking ideas can come from our collective team. By actively encouraging a culture of innovation, physician organizations can engage their team, more quickly develop new ideas for the organization, and create a vibrancy that continually connects their team to the joys of practicing medicine.

It's time for healthcare leaders to create a culture that actively involves physicians in shaping their organizations and thus create a culture where they will thrive

By prioritizing physician involvement in decision-making, integrating technology with physician workflows, and fostering a culture of innovation, we can double down on the journey to value-based care and more contemporary forms of care delivery, thus enabling leaders to better position their organizations for the future. It's time for healthcare leaders to create a culture that actively involves physicians in shaping their organizations and thus create a culture where they will thrive.