5 ways to build a relationship with hospital administrators

My desire to write this piece stems from my recent realization that I wasted a good part of my early career in medicine. While I was happily working in my pathology “bubble,” I was completely oblivious to the great untapped potential I had to affect change not just within, but also outside of, my department. In an effort to encourage other physicians to find ways to make an impact, I am sharing what I have found to be effective in building a relationship with hospital administrators, who hold the ultimate decision-making power on most changes in the hospital setting. My advice is geared towards those early in their medical career, but still applicable to any physician at any point in his or her career. So here it goes: 1. Take time to build rapport. Do not expect that because you are a highly productive and sought-after specialist, administration can or should do anything you ask. On the flipside, just because you are a primary care physician in a remote area that is perceived to be a drain on hospital resources, do not assume that administration does not have an interest in your opinions. No matter what your position on the medical ladder, building relationships is essential to fostering change. Most people are more likely to go out of their way to help a friend than a stranger, and ways to befriend administrators abound. Continue reading ... Your patients are rating you online: How to respond. Manage your online reputation: A social media guide. Find out how.
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Physician Hospital-Based Medicine Source Type: blogs