All too often, medical practice leaders and administrators look the other way when physicians are disruptive or behave inappropriately. They don’t deal with bad conduct for a variety of reasons and allow physicians to continue to act out in ways that they would never tolerate from a staff member.

Do you recognize any of these behavioral issues?

• Unwillingness to adhere to practice policies
• Constant tardiness, disorganized, unable to maintain a schedule
• Unprofessional appearance or demeanor; poor bedside manner
• Unwillingness to see a full patient load, help out in a pinch, or assume responsibility
• Clinical “laziness” – not interested in keeping up on advances in the field; stubborn, inflexible
• Argumentative (always right, never wrong).
• Complaining to patients, staff, physicians outside the group about colleagues and internal matters
• Using critical, derogatory, foul, or crude language.
  Inappropriate expressions of anger, resentment, extreme negativity, moodiness, or irritability
• Threats of violence or legal action directed at staff, partners, patients.
• Offensive humor, sexual innuendo, sexual harassment.
• Unethical, illegal or unscrupulous behavior; lacking a sense of morality.

Randy R. Bauman is president of Delta Health Care, based in Nashville. He has been actively involved in the business of physician practice for over 20 years, writing, speaking and consulting to improve economics and satisfaction in physician practices.