Pat Numann's talk from #ACSCC12 #ps320

1. The Good, the Bad, and
the Ugly: Dealing with
Doctors Behaving Badly
Patricia J Numann MD FACS, FRCS GLAS[HON]
Past President, American College of Surgeons

2. What is Bad Behavior?
• Verbal Abuse
• Not following the rules
• Bullying
• Use of profanity
• Denigration
• Sexual Harassment
• Unwanted Physical contact

3. Why Care?
• Disruptive Doctors are a liability
• They cause errors
• They cause law suits
• They cause employee loss

4. Even Disruptive Doctors
Have Rights?
• Have a written code of conduct which they
need to sign.
• Present this in the initial orientation or when
adopted
• Have due process spelled out in the bylaws
• Make sure you follow the bylaws

5. Basic Philosophy
• Recruitment of Doctors is labor and resource
intense
• Rehabilitation better than dismissal
• “Face saving” processes
• Coaching and counseling
• Monitoring

6. How do you deal with them ?
• When event occurs, tell them—in private,
with specifics and in an unemotional way
• “One Minute Manager”
• Be consistent
• Tell them the consequences
• Offer them remediation

7. Who Deals with Them?
• Anyone can
• Peer pressure sometimes most effective
• Their boss
• The Medical Director

8. What if You are the Person to
Deal with the Difficult Person ?
• Learn how to have difficult discussions/
• Delegate ???
• Have moral Courage
• Have absolute authority

9. Believe it or not in the long
run many of them will
thank you!!!!!!!!!!!