“I have worked with Larry on several challenging and delicate physician issues. His ability to quickly grasp the concerns of the medical staff and his sincere and calming approaching in working with them leads to successful outcomes. He is thoughtful and attentive, provides appropriate feedback and is able to develop a workable action plan for physicians in need of coaching or mentoring. I have complete confidence in Larry and will not hesitate to engage his services again.”
Cindy Mayo, FACHE
Chief Executive Providence Medford Medical Center
Southern Oregon Service Area
Case study: Conflict In the OR
Personality differences, escalated by the stress of the work environment of a busy clinician can often lead to significant conflict. This case involved a high functioning anesthesiologist, Dr. A., whose response to these stresses created behaviors that were particularly irritating to the Operating Room manager and much of the team. As is frequently the case this was a “blind spot” for the anesthesiologist and the reaction of the OR manager heightened the tension, to the point where communication deteriorated. In this high-risk setting, where open communication is essential, concerns were raised about safety of the environment.
Resolution:
The classic approach to resolving such conflict involves creating a place of safety for an open, transparent conversation. By working with Dr. A., OR Manager and other involved staff individually, Larry was able reach a point where that delicate conversation could take place. Finding the common ground and shared purpose in this case was less difficult than one might expect. Clinicians will most commonly move to that “moral high ground” of caring for and about the patient. Setting that tenor for the conversation allowed the dialogue to progress and for each party to the conflict to share their vision of how they would like the OR to be and the personal commitment they were willing to make to get there. Each used this an a “learning laboratory” for active listening and although there was still hard work to do the dialogue had begun
