Jay P. Anstine (jay.anstine@bannerhealth.com) is the Compliance Program Director, Western Division, Banner Health, Greeley, CO.
Have you ever tried to manage a privacy-related matter with a physician? How did that go? If you haven’t had this experience, spoiler alert: sometimes it can go well, and other times, like a screen door on a submarine. To avoid sinking, you need to know your audience and have a solid communication plan. Below are a couple communication strategies to ponder.
Know your audience
Physicians tend to be more competitive by nature. Their educational experience is focused on striving to be the top of their class. Physicians, unlike healthcare leaders, were also trained to be autonomous decision makers, with an inherent expectation to be efficient with decisions. This particular trait differs from the group-think model of healthcare leaders. Since physicians are trained to make their own decisions, they typically do not like to be told what to do. So how can you shift that mindset to one engaged in privacy? Look inward at how you are communicating your message from the viewpoint of your audience.
