Coping and Collaborating
As you know, I have often utilized the Corporate Column to advocate the urgent need for brand conversion across all of our care centers. This initiative is of the utmost importance, as we can’t realize the incredible potential of this organization if we continue to cling to our small, individual identities. Thankfully, each care center has heeded this call, and we have set the date of September 30th for substantial completion. When looking back years from now, I believe this milestone will mark a significant turning point for The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics.
With the effective integration of our care centers now a very near reality, it’s an opportune time to start examining how we can harness the power of our unified organization for the greater good. In particular, an area worth exploring – and one we can all relate to – is dealing with the stress and rigors of working as healthcare practitioners.
When delving into research on stresses, the statistics are alarming. According to U.S. News & World Report, physicians are 15 times more likely to burn out than professionals in any other line of work, and an article in the Annals of Surgery reported 30 percent of surgeons screen positive for symptoms of depression. Tragically, according to the Southern Medical Journal, physician suicide rates are twice that of the general population. While this presents a serious issue, many physicians are left with few avenues for sharing their struggles, fears or concerns with likeminded peers. Collectively, we all possess hard-earned wisdom that would be of great help and comfort to others.
Clearly, stress and its many negative manifestations, which can lead to reduced clinical performance, are a large problem facing physicians around the country. In fact, studies have revealed doctors under a great deal of emotional strain commit 6.2 times more medication errors, showing the impact on patient care is very real. It also has an insidious ripple effect on office morale for the many dedicated employees working in medical practices.
What are the main impetuses for this? A comprehensive Medscape survey of orthopaedic physicians cited “too many bureaucratic tasks,” “increased computerization of practice” and the “impact of the Affordable Care Act” as the main culprits, however, that’s only scratching at the surface. Financial pressures, compassion and emotional fatigue, lack of free time for family and work exhaustion were also highly cited. Consequently, a third of the 10,000 respondents to an American College of Surgeons survey expressed that they would not recommend a career in medicine to their children.
While these figures are bleak, there is a strong opportunity for The Centers to foster a unique and collegial atmosphere that addresses these challenges head on. I realize it won’t be easy, as physicians pride ourselves in being erudite professionals, always projecting an air of invincibility no matter what turmoil is stirring inside. However, groups such as the Young Professionals Organization (YPO), an organization my wife has been part of for over three decades, reveal a path for this how type of open dialogue and support can be accomplished.
The YPO has created a dynamic safe haven for more than 24,000 of the world’s leading CEOs, who meet in personalized forums where topics large and small are discussed in the open without fear of judgment. Of course, there are also fun-filled events to help create a spirit of camaraderie. Similarly, I think we could develop forums tailored specifically to the needs of The Centers.
Physicians and employees can be grouped together based on interest or age. With 67 marking the average age of retirement for orthopaedic surgeons – a demographic that represents 10% of CAO members – there are likely many of our “more seasoned” doctors, myself included, who are grappling with how best to cycle down their work schedules, make plans for succession and brace for that next chapter in life. Personally, I would find it invaluable to be able to collaborate and exchange ideas with my peers on this topic and so many others.
Forums could transcend age groups, as young physicians, many more versed in the latest medical technology and procedures, could be terrific sounding boards for older physicians. In turn, our members than have been practicing for decades would undoubtedly be able to impart sage advice on what lies ahead. Topics of discussion could also include public speaking, an area many physicians struggle with, or subjects related to family, raising children and personal issues. My main point is that the possibilities are endless.
To embark on this program, I would recommend we start with small advisory groups that would meet once per month for four hours. Understanding we all have extremely busy schedules, an experienced moderator could be hired, at least for the initial sessions, to help facilitate a constructive dialogue. The moderator would also serve to offer advice for how to operate the forums in perpetuity. While starting with a core group, my hope would be that this initiative proves its worth and take hold across the whole enterprise, providing a great resource for both doctors and staff. In the end, it could represent a competitive advantage for recruitment and an attractive benefit for spurring employee retention.
Now that we have all worked so hard to unify as The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedic in our branding, patient experience and overall mission, it’s exciting to start thinking about the continued evolution of our promising company. Forums that drive effective engagement and support among all of our stakeholders, are a powerful next step for making our organization not just large, but truly great.