Does Your Hospitalist Practice Have A Culture?
If your practice partners haven’t discussed among yourselves what kind of a culture you have, or want to have, you might think about initiating some dialog about it. There are lots of different cultures to choose from, and in various combinations. For example, you might have a culture that is absolutely committed to quality care. Or a culture where working hard is the norm. Perhaps a culture of work-lifestyle balance best describes your practice. Your culture might be dedicated to a specialty such as pediatrics, or long-term care. Perhaps your practice embraces the culture of your hospital-employers, or perhaps you prefer the more entrepreneurial culture of a private practice. There are so many cultures to choose from. How do you know which is right for your practice?
The successful practice culture is the one that is embraced and accepted by your practice partners, your hospital and your patients. It is the one that you and your practice partners are committed to, and only you and your partners have the answer as to which culture is right for you. The important point is to have one, to articulate what that culture is, and then to live it – to “walk the walk”.
Not to decide on cultural norms for your practice is, in effect, a tacit admission that your practice isn’t anything special. Is that true for your group? As the saying goes, not to decide is to decide.
