An attitudinal assessment of faculty practice plans

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Education Administration
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Faculty practice plans (FPPs) are integral to medical schools, but potential conflicts with private practice necessitate understanding stakeholder attitudes.
• Assessing these attitudes is crucial for strategic planning and mitigating inter-organizational friction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an attitudinal assessment of faculty practice plans (FPPs) among healthcare leaders.
• To identify areas of agreement and significant attitudinal disparity regarding FPPs.

Main Methods:

• A representative sample of eight medical school FPPs across seven communities was studied.
• Healthcare leaders from academic medical centers and community settings, stratified by administrative level, were surveyed.
• A 14-question survey assessed attitudes towards FPPs using yes-no responses graded by intensity.

Main Results:

• While only two questions showed simple yes-no statistical disparity, eight out of 14 questions revealed significant differences in the intensity of responses.
• Attitudinal differences were observed between academic and community healthcare leaders regarding FPPs.

Conclusions:

• The intensity of responses provides deeper insights into stakeholder attitudes towards FPPs than simple yes-no answers.
• Findings have strategic implications for universities, medical schools, and organized medicine in managing FPPs.