Ask the expert: What should a department chair focus on during an intervention with a physician who has performance issues?

The steps of an intervention will vary depending on the circumstances. However, there are some common guidelines to keep in mind:

• Ask the right question first. Ask the physician why his or her data is different than his or her peers rather than asking why the data is bad. Discuss with the physician whether the data is valid, measures something that the physician didn’t perform, is not attributed correctly, etc. Asking the right first question opens the door to a productive discussion rather than putting the physician on the defensive.
• Listen to the physician’s truth. Before sharing your truth with an individual, listen to theirs. First of all, they may have a legitimate truth—for example, the medical records department processes may be ineffective, the nurses may have performance issues, or there may be subpar supplies or equipment that the physician cannot use or that is frustrating to use. The point is there may be mitigating circumstances to consider. The physician is more likely to listen to the department chair if first given the opportunity to share his or her viewpoint.

This week’s question and answer are from Medical Executive Committee Essentials Handbookby Richard A. Sheff, MD; and Robert J. Marder, MD.