Groundbreaking Cejka Search Healthcare Perspectives Study Reveals the First in a Series of Findings from the Viewpoint of Physicians and Administrators: "Top Priorities for Today's Healthcare Leaders"

ST. LOUIS, April 26, 2016

"The findings show that physicians and administrators alike place high priority on patient-centered interaction and care-team collaboration in order to achieve quality care in an era of shrinking per capita healthcare resources," said Cejka Search President John Gramer.

Patient Communication and Collaboration Emerge as Highest Priorities

"Effective patient communication" emerged as the number one priority for both physicians and administrators, defined as "explaining medical information, such as care plans, medications and patient responsibilities, in a way that patients understand and improves patient compliance." In addition, both groups ranked "collaboration with advanced practitioners and other providers" as part of the top three priorities. The only difference in the top rankings was "being viewed as a partner in patients' long-term well-being," number three among physicians, and "customer service orientation" ranked number two among administrators.

"Even where rankings differ, the emphasis is still the patient, with physicians focused on collaborating with patients to achieve long-term wellness versus episodic care and managers taking a broader view on overall patient satisfaction," said Paul Esselman, Senior Executive Vice President of Cejka Executive Search.

In terms of collaborating with patients to achieve long-term health, both physicians and administrators commented on the need for greater patient engagement and accountability, including: 

• Better patient understanding of their disease and the importance of compliance.
• Complying with follow-up appointments, medication plans and other instructions.
• Healthier lifestyle choices, including improved eating habits, regular exercise and refraining from smoking.

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