Recognize that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior

One of the best predictors of future behavior is past behavior. If you employ a physician with less-than-superb technical and cognitive skills, chances are that your organization’s quality outcomes will suffer. If you employ a physician with a history of unprofessional conduct in previous clinical settings, he or she will likely behave unprofessionally as an employee. On the other hand, some organizations will weigh the available data and decide to bring the physician on board, provided he or she undergoes a period of provisional employment, during which time the hospital will closely monitor his or her performance. If the physician fails to meet predetermined performance expectations, the hospital will terminate the employment agreement.

Although it is important to take past behavior into consideration, don’t make it the sole basis of your decision to hire or reject a physician. For example, if you find that a physician applicant has outstanding clinical skills but he or she has a history of not completing medical records, you may hire that individual under the condition that another physician monitors his or her clinical documentation and reports deficiencies to the appropriate authority.

This week's feature is from Richard Sheff, MD, CMSL, chair and executive director of The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro, Inc., in Danvers, MA. For more information, visit The Greeley Company.