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Tip of the week: How to conduct a performance appraisal

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, March 1, 2011

Ideally, performance feedback should be a positive experience that brings out the best in both the physician and the leader or manager. By approaching performance appraisal as an opportunity to support and enhance performance at all levels, the output of the performance appraisal will have a positive effect on the organization as a whole.

Things to keep in mind during a performance appraisal interview:

• Schedule the meeting in advance and at a time when there are no distracting conflicts for either the physician or the leader or manager.
• Consider holding the meeting in a neutral location that is private and comfortable for both parties.
• Share information that reflects previously established expectations and performance measures and targets. Surprises are neither helpful nor constructive.
• Encourage the hospitalist to complete a self-evaluation prior to the formal meeting. Compare the physician’s perceptions of his or her performance with those of leaders, peers, and subordinates.
• Keep the focus of the meeting positive and constructive. The intent should be to encourage and support optimal performance without distorting the truth.
• Remember the performance appraisal is a collaborative experience based on shared perceptions and beliefs.

Things not do during a performance appraisal:

• Do not criticize the physician based on a unilateral or biased assessment of performance.
• Do not assume that leadership is the only source and has a monopoly on the information for assessing performance.
• Do not assume that the physician does not have important perspectives on the outcomes of the performance measures, including the role of leadership and the systems within the hospital (e.g., operations, training, accountability).

The above excerpt is adapted from Engage and Align the Medical Staff and Hospital Management: Expert Strategies and Field-Tested Tools, by Jonathan H. Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACPE, CMSL; Robert J. Marder, MD, CMSL; and Mary J. Hoppa, MD, MBA, CMSL.

 

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