How hospital leaders can engage physicians in the transition to value-based care

As hospitals transition from a fee-for-service model to value-based care, physician engagement is crucial, Mary Lou Mastro, R.N., president and CEO of Elmhurst (Illinois) Memorial Healthcare, told Becker's Hospital Review. Physicians, already busier than ever, are expected to make unprecedented changes, Mastro told the publication, making it important for hospital leaders to address their needs. For example, she said, Elmhurst leaders deal with physicians who are independent, hospital-employed, affiliated and contracted. However, they use the same basic engagement strategies for all of them, one that incorporates "recognition, respect, communication and involvement in decision-making," she said. Many may be resistant to major changes, and in communicating the need for these changes, she said, active listening is part of the process. Interview