Introspection: The wellness plan for your office

by Kathleen Tafel, manager of medical affairs and professional credentialing at St. Clair Hospital in Pittsburgh

A tremendous amount of information and work product moves through the medical staff services department (MSSD) on a daily basis. Numerous interactions with “customers” provide a ripe environment to be exposed to the negativity virus. This virus appears to be airborne, meaning it is unnecessary for contamination to occur by direct contact with an infected person.

The negativity virus can quickly spread through an office, infecting the overall spirit and vision and settling on individuals, making it a struggle to embark on self-improvement, and possibly impeding work functions, office processes, or relationships with medical staff leadership and other departments.

We underestimate how quickly the MSSD can devolve into a critical situation where MSPs do not work together to maintain a robust office wellness plan. This erosion of office wellness can result in vital work slowing to a crawl, delaying physician and mid-level credentialing and privileging. If the negativity virus in the MSSD results in the delay of meeting minutes, this can affect the board of directors’ decisions on credentialing and privileging applicants—and ultimately patient care.

One step we can take to reduce negativity contamination is to participate in a simple wellness plan. If individually we look at our actions, interactions, and reactions with honest introspection, we can identify the early onset of personal negativity that may already be affecting the team spirit of the office.

We are flush with opportunity to see the short side of a problem, but a healthy dose of wellness introspection can yield a great deal of opportunity to get behind and support projects or office mates that can create and sustain positive processes and relationships.

“Vaccinate” yourself and your teammates with actions that lift up the spirit:

•  Employ “grace when under pressure” and assume that your teammates are there to help you and, if you ask, to share tasks that may be overwhelming you.
•  Create allies in the office who provide a molecular bond with you in working at all times toward the common goal.

By embracing an introspective wellness plan, we can identify signs of attitude, behavior, discipline, and work habits that may be in the early stages of negativity. With early introspective detection, you can turn that frown upside down and become a positive influence for your office!

Medical Staff Briefing, February 2014