Changes happen all the time in your practice. And whether it’s a new schedule, a new metric, a new compensation model, or an operational improvement like reducing no-shows, success always hinges on physician buy-in.
I’ve seen many leaders try to sell changes by focusing on how they address the practice’s needs: “We need to do this because we need to grow.” “We need to open up more patient access.” “We need to improve our margin.”
But this is a mistake.
Physicians usually aren’t asking themselves if a change will help the practice. They’re asking: “Will this change leave me better off, worse off, or the same as I am now?”
This single question drives their buy-in. So, to plan effectively, you need to figure out how each of them will answer it, in terms of the impact on their day-to-day life, their wallet, and their relationships with their colleagues.
Working through this exercise will help you fine-tune your plan and anticipate any roadblocks, increasing the likelihood of success.
And then, when you’re ready to sell the change to your physicians, you should try flipping the usual script:
- Start with what’s in it for them: Will it make their day smoother? Their pay more predictable? Their work more meaningful?
- Then, help them understand what’s in it for their patients: Will they wait less? Get better care? Stay healthier?
- Only then should you talk about what’s in it for the practice.
I recently worked with a group that had a serious access problem but couldn’t figure out how to make progress. Leadership was focused on the backlog, but the physicians didn’t feel the pain, because their schedules were full. It wasn’t until we reframed the issue around how the improvement plan would reduce their daily chaos and help more people in the community get care, that everything shifted. The physicians stepped up. Progress followed.
If your change effort is stalling, the problem may not be the plan itself. It might be how you’re presenting it.
Before you roll out the next initiative, take a step back and get into the mindset of your physicians. Anticipate their questions. Speak to what they care about. Focus on the wins for them, for their patients, and for the practice. Because changes that feel like wins are the only kind that tend to stick.
