The leadership of Providence Alaska in Anchorage was concerned that the movement to value-based care could be incongruent with the perspectives and perceptions of its largely independent clinical staff. The future success of the system was anticipated to be mostly predicated on how tightly aligned it could be with its physicians.
Using an evidence-based physician alignment survey to quantify physicians’ attitudes and beliefs, combined with extensive stakeholder interviews conducted by an external consultant, leadership identified and prioritized opportunities to tighten alignment with the clinical staff (see chart below). Scores on the 100-point scale within seven alignment domains were benchmarked with similar leading organizations.
Key strategies identified included engaging physicians at all levels of the organization, sharing both clinical and financial performance measures, providing practical training and education, and offering at-risk compensation.
Physician Alignment Survey Domains, Definitions and Examples
The Importance of Physician Alignment
A challenging yet critical leadership imperative.
Alignment is the degree of unity of purpose that results in a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship with physicians. The misalignment of financial incentives, which stems largely from the prevailing fee-for-service reimbursement model, can contribute to wide clinical practice variation and overuse, adding to rising healthcare costs.