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Disruptive physicians: don’t appoint them

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, March 15, 2007

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It's much easier to avoid appointing disruptive physicians than to confront medical staff members who exhibit disruptive behavior. The challenge, therefore, is to identify during the appointment process which applicants have a propensity for disruptive behavior.

An interview can provide valuable information about an applicant's true nature. Begin with a general question: Have you ever had difficulty working collaboratively with colleagues or staff? Then ask the applicant whether he or she has ever been disciplined for unprofessional conduct, such as

* verbal or physical abuse against hospital staff, patients, or colleagues

* sexual harassment

* disparagement of staff, colleagues, or the hospital

* inappropriate comments in medical records

* disruption of medical staff meetings, functions, or hospital operations

Editor's note: The above excerpt is from the online course "Disruptive Physician Behavior: Techniques for Managing and Preventing." For more information on this and other courses in our library, go to http://www.hcprofessor.com.

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