Practical Strategies for Improving Hospital/Physician Relations

Physicians are partners, customers, and competitors all rolled into one.

The ultimate responsibility of these complex, multi-layered relationships falls onto the hospital chief executive officer, chief operating officer, and other key members at the top of the leadership team. Successful relationships allow the hospital to move forward with everything from expansion to quality improvement; failure can mean organizational chaos and potential career-limiting opportunities for leaders.

Listen to HealthLeaders Media's Webcast, Practical Strategies for Improving Hospital/Physician Relations. Moderated by HealthLeaders editor, Jim Molpus, this informative, 90-minute program covers action-oriented practices for improving good physician relations and repairing fractured ones. Our expert speakers show hospital leaders how to spot the warning signs of a deteriorating relationship, and how to heal it before it's too late.

During this Webcast, you will learn how to

• communicate openly with physicians
• harness the power of structured access
• build trust through momentum
• delegate key physician relationships to the executive team
• know the necessary physician relations infrastructure for effective medical staff connections
• build physician participation through a medical staff leadership program
• conduct a thorough downstream analysis of potential problems

Who should attend?

• Senior level healthcare executives, including CEOs, COOs, CFOs
• Physician leaders
• Department leaders

Meet our speakers

Wayne Brackin, CEO, South Miami Hospital, Miami, FL. Mr. Brackin has more than 20 years' experience in healthcare administration. He joined South Miami Hospital as an administrative resident in 1985, while working on his master's degree in Health Services Administration from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Upon completion of his master's degree, he was named assistant administrator for the hospital. Three years later, he was chosen as CEO of Homestead Hospital, where he shifted financial performance from a loss of $750,000 to a profit of $900,000 during a three-year period. There, he also planned and executed a $10 million renovation project and guided the hospital through the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Jon Foster, President and CEO, St. David’s Healthcare Partnership, Austin, TX. Under Mr. Foster's leadership, St. David's has undergone an ambitious $400-million, multi-facility expansion and has been recognized nationally for its level of clinical care and services. Prior to coming to St. David's, Foster served as the executive vice president of operations for the Baptist Health System of East Tennessee. While there, he led the health system's operations to the most successful performance results in the organization's 50-year existence. As a result, the system's 450-bed flagship facility was named one of the nation's "Top 100 Hospitals" for four consecutive years. These and other efforts led to a Tennessee Governors Quality Award for Baptist, the highest award given in the state. Foster's career began in 1986 at the Methodist Healthcare System in Houston, TX, where he served until 1991.

Rick Sheff, MD, Chairman and executive director, The Greeley Company, Marblehead, MA. Dr. Sheff brings more than 25 years of healthcare management and leadership experience to his work with physicians, hospitals, and healthcare systems across the country. With a distinctive combination of medical, healthcare, and management acumen, he develops tailored and valued solutions to the unique needs of physicians and hospitals. Dr. Sheff has consulted, authored, and lectured on a wide range of healthcare management and leadership issues and topics including governance, hospital and medical staff performance improvement, management of poor quality and disruptive physicians, patient safety and error reduction, credentialing, medical staff effectiveness and redesign, medical staff leadership development, strategic planning, and regulatory compliance.

System requirements and program materials

Please note that to fully benefit from the Webcast experience, you will need a computer equipped with an Internet connection, sound card, and the following browsers: Netscape Navigator 4.7 or Internet Explorer, version 5 or higher.

You will receive presentation slides and other materials that you can print and distribute to all interested parties at your location.