A New Compact: Aligning Physician-Organization Expectations to Transform Patient Care

Forewords by James L. Reinertsen and Edgar H. Schein Rewriting the Unwritten Rules to Change Patient Care for the Better!

With healthcare reform a priority and traditional physician roles shifting, mutually agreed-on expectations between physicians and organizations are essential to bring change and lasting results. Typically, these expectations have been unarticulated and merely assumed. A new, written compact-a set of explicit terms carefully negotiated by doctors and administrators to define their relationship through dialogue and respectful airing of different perspectives-is foundational to partnership and successful performance. This book provides an in-depth look at the background, development, and implementation of a new compact to strengthen and align expectations in today’s healthcare environment. Learn how organizations can use a physician-organization compact to integrate various entities brought together through mergers or acquisitions, to support clinical integration, and to engage physicians.

Practical applications throughout the book include:

Seven case studies of organizations whose new compacts have changed relationships and furthered their success
Lessons learned from these case studies that organizations can apply in their own environments A step-by-step process for developing and implementing a new compact, including who should be involved at each step

With the guidance presented in this book, senior executives, mid-level managers, and physician leaders alike can gain a comprehensive understanding of how to successfully develop and implement a new compact organization-wide or locally in a department, service line, or site.