CASE STUDY:
PHYSICIAN ENGAGEMENT

Giving Providers Voice While Still Making Tough Decisions

The Situation

Since hospitals and health systems first pursued a strategy of acquiring physician practices over 20 years ago, there has been a growing tension between physicians and their new employers. Providers understandably want to control how they deliver care. And health systems understandably need to control financial losses.

At Summa Health in Akron, OH, growing dissatisfaction among its primary care group was affecting overall morale, retention, and the level of provider engagement. At odds were mounting financial performance concerns by system executives vs. a sense of diminished control and voice among providers.

The Solution

To validate provider concerns and reset expectations on decision-making and performance, Summa Health engaged Stamp & Chase to facilitate a comprehensive, inclusive assessment and design process. Starting with the firm’s field-tested Leader and Staff Experience Snapshot, Stamp & Chase consulting partners provided an opportunity for every practicing primary care provider to be heard through facilitated focus groups. In-depth interviews with Medical Group executives confirmed specific operational and financial goals which needed to be achieved for the system to continue to grow, expand access, and hit financial targets.

The Results

Through a facilitated, collaborative design process involving a diverse team of frontline providers and administrative leaders, Summa Health Medical Group rethought leadership roles, responsibilities, expectations, and best practices at all levels of the organization. Among multiple recommendations, the working relationship between provider leads and administrative managers in each practice was foundational to success.

“I appreciated how quickly the Stamp & Chase team gained the trust and confidence of our provider and administrative leadership team,” emphasized Dr. Vivek Bhalla, president, Summa Health Medical Group. “Their inclusive approach modeled one of the key leadership characteristics that they advocate: listen first and give staff voice to improve decision-making and buy-in.”

Implementation leveraged Stamp & Chase’s T.E.A.M. leadership framework, which emphasizes team collaboration, increased voice, more effective goal-setting, and balanced individual feedback. A full-day leadership retreat brought together physician and advanced practice provider leads, practice managers, and executives to explore ways to leverage these best leadership practices effectively and routinely.