It’s a familiar stereotype in media: the brilliant but abrasive doctor or surgeon, impatient with their peers and brusque with patients. In films and books, these characters almost invariably deliver superior results even as they leave a swath of unpleasant interactions in their wake. In the real world, however, disruptive or unprofessional behavior in healthcare organizations is known to undermine the quality of patient care—to the extent that the Joint Commission has long made having both a code of conduct and a process for addressing such behavior standards for all its accreditation programs.
The reality of disruptive behavior in healthcare settings is far more nuanced than its portrayal in fiction, however. Difficult, high-pressure work conditions in which the outcome of a decision can be literally life and death, as well as toxic workplaces created by a poor culture, can trigger physicians into poor behavior. Once a pattern is set, it can then be difficult for administrators or an institution to find a constructive way to address the situation. Disruptive behavior is more likely to be a mask for insecurity than the actions of someone who is confident in their leadership. But hospitals or medical practices that fear having a physician take a lucrative practice elsewhere or that struggle to keep staff members in an era of physician shortages may be tempted to tiptoe around the issue.
Whatever the reason, it can ultimately end up being a shortsighted strategy that costs the organization and the physicians themselves more in the long run.
To deliver superior patient care, healthcare teams must collaborate and communicate effectively, as no one specialist is ever solely responsible for meeting every patient’s needs. Problem behavior is not just something that affects an individual but threatens the performance of the entire team. Disruptive behavior that can have serious negative effects on the workplace environment, cover a range from the egregious to subtle, such as:
Studies indicate that only a small minority of physicians exhibit unprofessional behavior that prompts a report from co-workers. Unfortunately, fear of retaliation may create a discrepancy between reported numbers and the actual prevalence of disruptive behavior in the workplace.
When the actions of disruptive physicians go unchecked, the risk of medication errors, avoidable infections, and other adverse patient outcomes goes up. In addition, the hostile atmosphere created can cause the medical professionals and administrators around them to leave the organization in search of opportunities in more professional environments. The result is increased liability, higher costs for patient care, an expensive cycle of ongoing turnover, and lower quality of care.
Nobody wants to lose a talented physician, which can be part of the reason incidents of unprofessional behavior are allowed to slide. But by the time a series of incidents has developed into an entrenched pattern that is threatening the morale and engagement of your team, you’re already at a disadvantage—and traditional disciplinary interventions may not produce the positive change your organization needs.
Introducing strengths-based executive coaching is a proactive means of nipping disruptive behavior in the bud and helping the physicians on your team develop positive leadership skills that benefit your teams, your patients, and them. Instead of just punishing negative behaviors, professional coaching can help provide feedback and strategies that help physicians recognize their problematic behavior and the effects it has on the organization, then develop the skills to become better leaders for the long run.
Of course, getting a disruptive physician to take the first steps to gaining the self-awareness and accountability necessary for lasting change can be challenging. At iRISE Executive Coaching, we specialize in working with professionals in the healthcare industry to overcome their leadership challenges and promote career growth. We can help physicians displaying disruptive behaviors gain insight into their strengths and leverage that knowledge into healthy professional development.
Whether you’ve been confronted with a formal report of unprofessional behavior by a physician on your team or you’re only hearing the first whispers, don’t wait to address it. iRISE Executive Coaching can help you find a sustainable way to constructively address the problem, invest in the long-term success of your physicians, and reduce organizational risk. Contact us here to schedule a consultation.
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