Physician alignment is vital to driving the changes necessary in our shifting healthcare environment. On the hospital side, physicians are the frontline experts needed to increase quality and decrease cost. It’s impossible for a hospital system to take on important projects like fall prevention, unnecessary test utilization, and standardization of best practices without leadership and participation from doctors.

On the physician side, those of us who refuse to take a seat at the table risk giving up vital decision making to bureaucrats and politicians.

It’s no surprise that physician engagement is a hot topic right now. Many hospital executives are looking for the magic formula to garner participation from their medical staff, and physicians who play a dual role as administrators often struggle to bring their clinical colleagues on board. I’ve heard lots of ideas tossed around, but part of the challenge is trying to engage a heterogeneous population of physicians who have different goals, needs, and history.

Is there a one-size fits all strategy for physician engagement? My answer is a resounding no.

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