You're having trouble building trust with physicians. What are you doing wrong?

I would have to say it has become harder to fulfill the daily roles of a physician. Gone are the days of academic acumen . Now is being approachable , resourceful , and available . Perception is great in the world of AI and instant recognition via social media. The best advice I could give to anyone is to listen first, absorb the information , review data, and respond to our patients needs. In todays world individuals have access to all of their study results before we have an opportunity to review or analyze it as thoroughly as they have with less knowledge of what it means to be outside the normal range. My response is simple. Listen and respond.

You can be sure that all successful physicians will be very time poor . Many regard a MSL as a “necessary evil “to be tolerated in the interest of new information in a rapidly and readily digestible form. So : be well prepared with your message in “Elevator Pitch” style-a maximum of three short pieces of information ; pique their interest; leave information to be read/viewed later, thank them for their time , give them your card with encouragement to contact you at anytime for further information. Extend that invitation to any of their colleagues who may be interested ( Domino effect!) Naturally, if they wish to talk, do so BUT still restrict your time and be guided by them .

Working with Surgeons, If your position is to "set the table". Understand that you are a guest in their house. Act accordingly. If you draw in the staff, and anesthesia your day will be better for it. If you walk in and start demanding accountability, you will not be welcomed with open arms. Remember, you represent the surgeon and the company you both work for. Be respectful of everyone in the room, bag some linen, mop a floor, stay and make sure the patient gets transferred off the table, little things mean alot.

Respect the boundaries and time constraints of physicians. Be mindful of their busy schedules and avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary communication.

In my experience having valid data is the best tool in the box. We do triple checks to ensure the data is accurate before releasing. It has been years since anyone has questioned our data integrity. It’s also helpful to show where their performance is relative to their peers. They love competition! If you're a true warrior, competition doesn't scare you. It makes you better. Andrew Whitworth

I have 46 specialists working under me. What I do is send an appriciating message immediatly when they have a success story. When people feel appreciated for their efforts, it boosts their morale and motivates them to continue performing at their best. It gives me a chance to enter to a discussion of their past mistakes. Appreciated employees are often more engaged and productive. They feel a sense of ownership and pride in their work, leading to higher-quality output and greater efficiency.

Understanding the physician role is crucial as the remaining problems follow. Communication is key to allow for effective physician function.

Recognizing providers' pivotal role and the intricate web of challenges they navigate underscores the importance of holistic support systems within healthcare, fostering a culture of mutual respect and collaboration for optimal patient care and provider well-being.

Conflicts may emerge between doctors and nurses due to differing priorities. It is known that both healthcare professionals share responsibility for patient outcomes, underscoring the importance of their collaboration. In tertiary healthcare facilities these issues might be highlighted due to the complexity of patients. Nurses might be caring for patients that belong to different teams (ADS, Ortho, Neuro, GU, etc.) and these specialties prioritize different aspects of patient care. This can make it difficult for nurses to continuously align to service line needs and may cause breakdown in communication and trust.

Take the time to learn about the responsibilities, training, and challenges physicians face in their daily work. Understanding their professional background and expertise will help you appreciate their perspective.

Physicians, likely by nature but certainly by training, tend to be data-driven and skeptical. Our minds also tend to work in a assess-diagnose-treat cycle (just ask my wife). When interacting be specific about the issue, have concise data with integrity, and ask for answers to a specific question/questions. Also be clear about their time constrains around involvement and delineate what you expect from them in ongoing management of the issue at hand. Interact in this way and overtime you'll build trust.

Be collaborative in your communications with physicians and staff. Acknowledge their dedication and expertise. For example, if you want to motivate physicians on your team to increase productivity, sharing national RVU statistics can backfire because it doesn’t acknowledge the organization’s role in creating an efficient work environment. The most productive physicians tend to work in highly efficient environments where they feel they have a voice and their ideas are heard. When you approach physicians, mid level providers, and nurses in a respectful collaborative way, teamwork improves, solutions to problems emerge, and physician retention (and employee retention) improves.

Difficulty in establishing trust with physicians can hinder effective collaboration and patient care. Poor communication exacerbates this issue by leading to misunderstandings, inefficiencies, and compromised outcomes. Effective communication is essential for building rapport, understanding needs, and fostering mutual respect. When communication falters, it erodes trust and inhibits the exchange of critical information. By prioritizing clear, concise, and respectful communication, healthcare professionals can bridge gaps, strengthen relationships, and ultimately enhance patient care.

Effective communication is key to any successful relationship. Failure to communicate clearly, promptly, and respectfully can lead to misunderstandings and mistrust. Ensure that your communication is consistent, transparent, and takes into account their preferred methods of communication.

A relação com médicos e sempre mais eficiente quando,existe clareza nas metas,veracidade nos propósitos e especialmente uma comunicação eficaz.Devemos conhecer o processo e através de linguagem clara,objetiva transmitir a função do médico em cada etapa. Saber a capacidade e limitação de cada um e suas expectativas. Ao analisar um CTI que dirigi vi um problema de comunicação e estrutura organizacional; Atritos interdisciplinares por falta de clareza na função de cada um (diaristas e plantonistas imiscuíam suas atividades).Estabelecer uma rotina bem definida,diretrizes claras e reuniões periódicas melhoramos muito os resultados O sistema trabalho tem que estar bem definido, a comunicação interna ajustada e metas factíveis estabelecidas.

From the management of their medical practice, physicians, as highly educated and dedicated professionals, expect the same from those that entrusted with the financial and operational success of their practice. Demonstrating competence is accomplished by providing clear, concise, and verifiable data for them. If not, you lose their trust and confidence. Establishing effective operational, organizational, and financial processes is crucial. Effective communication, in precise and accurate terms will gain their support and tolerance when you do make a mistake, and you will make mistakes. They have high expectations and long memories. Lead by example and have high expectations of you and your staff.

Medicine is no longer a one man show. It takes a team of competent professionals to address and care for patient needs. Therefore, competence is critical to earn respect and support of doctors

Physicians work in a culture that values and acknowledges credentials and competence. Effective communication with physicians requires an individual to lead with this to open the door to active listening and mutual professional respect.

One of the key principles we must remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution in healthcare. Each healthcare environment is unique, with its own set of patients, resources, and constraints. As such, it is crucial that we work together to propose, review, and iterate on solutions that are tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of our organization. As leaders, we often devote significant time and resources to developing our leadership skills, and while leadership is undoubtedly important, I believe that the most critical competency in our field is knowledge and the ability to execute effectively.

Physicians value competence and that you’ve done the due diligence to understand their practice and business, building trust and rapport starts in the research phase as it will guide your conversation with each physician and eliminate the blanket approach to rapport building.

Amiability and back-slapping are not enough. You must listen to, and when appropriate act on, their opinions. Show respect by taking them seriously.

Respect is shown in many ways. Treating the physician as a stakeholder in important hospital or clinical decisions by soliciting their input for policy committees and other decision-making committees is extremely important. Physicians are often concerned about the best practices and impacts to their patients that policy decisions can make. These policies need to be made with physician input.

Respect includes trust. I have seen far too many examples of non-physician leaders expressing distrust of what physicians are reporting. Show respect by walking with physicians through their workdays, so you more deeply understand their burdens. Show respect by asking physicians to provide ideas for how things might be made less burdensome (remove the 7 wastes), and allow change experiments to be run.

Let’s be real, all of us like to feel valued and appreciated for what we bring to the table. When a health care provider has spent years learning their craft, spent countless hours completing continuing education, and is sharing their time and expertise to help you, they want basic respect. The exact same as you. It’s a two way street

Show respect for physicians' expertise and experience. Acknowledge their role as leaders in patient care and value their input and recommendations.

Don’t just make rounds - spend some signifiant time with physicians. Consider spending a full 12 hour ED shift on a weekend or a full shift in the OR. Really dive in. Attend grand rounds. Immerse!

What is it that Teddy Roosevelt said? "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." Trust starts with relationship building. Understand others' WIFFM and your influence will go a long way.

A lot of the time, physicians lose trust in administrators when they are presented with solutions that are not evidence backed and the quality of the data is poor. Communication with providers that is evidence backed, has demonstrated results, has reliable data, and, more importantly, considers a physician and patient perspective is key! This allows the providers to trust the intent as well as confidently rely on solutions and strategies that are in the best interest of everyone concerned.

Similar to Carson's recommendation, I call it Shadowing Physicians - to see what is really happening in the revenue-generating operations of your organization. You can't make good decisions sitting with a committee in a conference room reviewing spreadsheets and reports. If you do this, you will make mistakes, not realizing the unintended negative consequences of your operational and strategic decisions. Even physician leaders who practice part-time should shadow other specialists. The pain that a PCP feels is different from that of an obstetrician, a pulmonologist, or a general surgeon. When you show up, and give people your most precious commodity - your time - they will give back and support you and your goals.

You may want to consider choosing another provider. If trust cannot be established you and the provider, then this will not be a mutually beneficial relationship. In any relationship, whether friendship, love, family, or patient/provider; trust has to exist in order for it work. As a Nurse Practitioner, I worked hard to ensure my parents felt heard and supported when in my room. However, if anyone ever felt otherwise I would want them to find a provider that made them feel safe and comfortable. That’s how all patients should feel. Your very life could depend on it.