By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    An Expert’s Guide To Building and Improving Endurance
    June 30, 2022
    medical assistants
    What Do Medical Assistants Do On a Day to Day Basis?
    April 5, 2022
    superfoods to help with prostate health
    10 Healthy Foods That Can Help Protect Your Prostate
    August 29, 2022
    Latest News
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    pfizer and clinical data transparency
    Pfizer to Expand Clinical Trial Data Access, Takes Step Toward Transparency
    December 6, 2013
    Improving Healthcare Services And Management Through Tech Integration
    June 9, 2020
    obamacare and the uninsured
    Why Hospitals Are Still Gouging the Uninsured
    January 7, 2014
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Taking a Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Taking a Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct
BusinessHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical EthicsNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Taking a Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct

Ken Cohn
Ken Cohn
Share
4 Min Read
Evaluating Doctor Conduct
SHARE

Evaluating Doctor Conduct

Contents
MethodologyRecommendations

The reason that I entitled this post “A Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct” is that I was pleased that it had been selected for presentation at a major surgical meeting. For too long, this subject has been swept under the rug. I am glad that it is being discussed by people who can recognize it and improve the environment for change.

Evaluating Doctor Conduct

The reason that I entitled this post “A Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct” is that I was pleased that it had been selected for presentation at a major surgical meeting. For too long, this subject has been swept under the rug. I am glad that it is being discussed by people who can recognize it and improve the environment for change.

More Read

What If a Whole Country Goes on a Diet?
Microvisk Limited Uses Same Technology as iPhone, Wii to Measure Blood Coagulation
How Hospitals Can Protect Patients From Identity Theft
Science is Spooky–Thoughts from the Other Side of Reality
Sometimes, Even If You Like Your Insurance, You Can’t Keep It

Methodology

A surgeon and a PhD colleague asked 19 Operating Room (OR) staff members two questions:

  • Can you tell me about a time when you saw a surgeon demonstrate disruptive behavior? (defined as conduct that negatively affects patient care or has the potential to affect patient care negtively. Cochran A, Elder B. J Am CollSurg 2014:290:390-398)
  • Please explain why you believe the surgeon behaved in this way.

Their interviews of anesthesiologists, nurses, medical students, and OR technologists led to the postulation of three major factors that led to disruptive behavior by surgeons:

  • Personality factors: surgery may attract perfectionistic people who thrive in the face of constant challenge and lack of positive reinforcement
  • Culture: medical students and residents who are treated in a disrespectful fashion by attending surgeons behave the same way once they become attendings because they learn no other way of behaving and see that such behavior is rarely challenged due to the attending surgeons’ perceived power and because of the revenue that these surgeons bring in
  • Situational stressors: When something goes wrong, it may challenge a surgeon and trigger feelings of inadequacy and shame that manifest as anger and blame. Not having the same people in the OR may also trigger anger and fear that something may go wrong

Recommendations

The authors cite multiple references that disruptive behavior imperils patient safety, increases the cost of care, and increases staff turnover. They cite:

  • The need for interprofessional education events, especially for novices in the process of learning to navigate a challenging environment
  • Remediation of behavior that results in verbal hostility, as practiced at Vanderbilt’s Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy and at the University of Miami’s Pulse Program
  • Conflict management training for everyone who works in an OR setting

Turning a blind eye to tantrums, threats, and intimidation is inimical to change. The goal is to improve patient safety through reforms at the individual and system level that enhance dialogue and mutual respect and create a safe environment for learning.

As always, I welcome your input to improve healthcare collaboration where you work.  Please send me your comments and suggestions for improvement.

Kenneth H. Cohn © 2014, all rights reserved

Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for writing this content.  I have no material connection to the brands, topics and/or products that are mentioned herein.

© Healthcare Collaboration. All Rights Reserved.

Photo Credit: Doctors and Conduct/shutterstock

TAGGED:Best Practicescase studyconductphysician conduct
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025
Telemedicine Apps
Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
Health
July 20, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
Global Healthcare Policy & Law
July 17, 2025
paramedics in surgical gloves and masks
How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
Health care
July 16, 2025

You Might also Like

Preventing Childhood Obesity

July 1, 2011
Image
BusinessNews

High Quality, Low Cost HealthCare Video Interview Series: Jeanne Pinder and ClearHealthCosts

October 9, 2012

Boston Recovery: Surviving Sudden Trauma

April 23, 2013

Screening and Prevention: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff

July 6, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?