Developing a physician engagement agreement at The Ottawa Hospital: a collaborative approach

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Education
• Patient Safety

Background:

• High-quality patient care is a key objective at The Ottawa Hospital (TOH).
• Physician engagement is recognized as crucial for improving care quality.
• Existing strategies for physician engagement required further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore impediments and facilitators of physician engagement at TOH.
• To develop a physician engagement strategy based on physician perspectives.
• To create a mutual understanding and agreement between physicians and the hospital.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative inquiry was conducted to understand physician engagement.
• Concurrent focus groups were utilized to gather physicians' perspectives.
• Systematic analysis of verbal data informed the development of an agreement.

Main Results:

• Identified key factors that hinder and help physician engagement.
• Facilitated a collaborative process to develop a physician engagement agreement.
• Established a foundation for improved physician-hospital relations.

Conclusions:

• Physician engagement is vital for enhancing healthcare quality.
• A collaborative approach, incorporating physician input, is effective in strategy development.
• The physician engagement agreement serves as a framework for mutual understanding and improved care.