Disruptive physicians may lead to patient safety concerns, yet medical professionals often are willing to tolerate the behavior, according to Medscape.
1. Seventy percent of physicians claim disruptive physician behavior occurs at least once a month in their healthcare organization. More than 10 percent state that such incidents occur every day, according to a 2011 study from Quantia and the American College of Physician Executives, according to Medscape.
2. Some disruptive behavior includes temper tantrums, demeaning attitudes toward staff and patients and a refusal to adhere by the practice's policies.
3. The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations began mandating hospitals to confront disruptive medical staff members in 2008.
4. Staff members often don't report the behavior, but instead avoid that physician. Lucien Leape, MD, professor at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said, "Independence is so highly valued that physicians are loath to evaluate or confront a colleague whom they perceive as having a problem."
5. There are various ways healthcare facilities can address disruptive physicians. Some experts advise developing a code of conduct while others suggest management consultants approaching the physician in an informal setting.
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