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| The Monthly Pulse |
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| Is there such a thing as being too old to practice medicine?
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| The Story |
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| In a recent New York Times article, New York-based cardiologist Sandeep Jauhar raised concerns about the aging population of physicians, calling for age-based competency tests to ensure older doctors aren’t impaired and pose no harm to patients. More doctors are practicing over the age of 60 than in previous decades, and a study published in JAMA Neurology indicates one in five adults over the age of 65 could have cognitive impairment. Yet, applying a mandatory retirement for physicians, as seen in other occupations, would likely be more of a burden to an already short-staffed healthcare industry. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| To gauge physicians’ capacity to continue practicing medicine, Jauhar proposes competency assessments that would be given at routine intervals after a certain age. The idea has garnered support from other groups, including the American Medical Association, which recommends age-based screenings for physicians, but on a voluntary basis. Yet, there’s also been legal pushback, including a lawsuit from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commision (EEOC) against a Connecticut-based hospital for requiring cognitive testing for older employees, citing a violation of anti-discrimination laws. If hospitals are to adopt any competency assessments, it will be important that the program is well-thought-out and designed to protect the interests of both patients and physicians alike.
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| The Recession and Recruitment: What You Need to Know
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| The Story |
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| Many experts have hinted that a recession of some form is likely to take shape in the U.S. in the near future. This doesn’t necessarily mean employers will gain an “upper hand,” however. In healthcare, a shortage of qualified providers still remains, but implementing practices for strong recruiting and retention will help healthcare organizations navigate even the most uncertain times with greater success.
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| What You Should Know |
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| Factors such as the Great Resignation, COVID-19, and staffing shortages have put a tremendous strain on healthcare organizations. Even if the labor market experiences a turnaround in favor of employers, healthcare leaders will need to proceed with caution. Healthcare workers are already frazzled, but practical strategies like hiring for the right fit, maintaining open lines of communication through periods of change, and building an environment of trust can have a tremendous impact on recruitment and retention.
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| All for one and one for all: Creating culture alignment after a merger |
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| The Story |
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| Mergers and acquisitions are certainly nothing new in healthcare, but the industry’s labor market has never been quite so volatile as it is now. To help ease employees through such a major shift, healthcare leaders must develop a transition strategy that emphasizes an environment of alignment. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| Healthcare companies can take several steps to create a strong alignment plan. For instance, allowing physicians to take leadership roles (with the proper training and preparation) can help foster alignment and prevent burnout. Programs can also be established to introduce physicians to each other and encourage collaboration. Finally, healthcare leaders should implement a strong communication plan in which feedback is invited so everyone can take the time to listen and learn from one another.
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| Leadership Reflections |
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Habits
I love Gretchen Rubin’s book, Better than Before: What I Learned about Making and Breaking Habits - To Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life. The new year seems to bring a renewed desire to work at personal habits, and Gretchen has some great strategies:
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- Scheduling - setting a specific, regular time for an activity to recur
- First Steps - when we’re ready to begin, the best time is now
- The Lightening Bolt - sometimes we need to be smacked with a new idea that jolts us into change
- Monitoring - once we recognize what we’re doing, we may choose to behave differently
- Loophole Spotting - if we stay on the lookout, we can perhaps avoid pitfalls that prevent us from maintaining positive habits
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While these are outstanding strategies for personal habit development and change, we can also consider them from a leadership perspective. How can we as leaders model these strategies? And, can we work with our teams to implement them into daily behaviors to help individuals meet key performance indicators, and ultimately, our shared team goals? If you’re interested in personal or team habit changes, this book is worth the read.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and productive 2023! |
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| Upcoming Events |
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| CT Assist will be sponsoring/exhibiting at the STS 58th Annual Meeting, January 29-30. If you're attending please stop by table #1141, we'd love to see you! |
| Future of HR: 2023 Economic Outlook, Upcoming Market Trends, Disruption in HR, and How the Pandemic Morphed the Employment Landscape |
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| NAPR 2023 Annual Convention |
| Sun., Feb. 5 to Tues., Feb. 7 |
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| AACN NTI 2023 |
| Mon., May 22 - Wed., May 24 |
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