Hospital Community Can Make or Break - Elliot Physicians

Is it compensation? Maybe you’re most interested in clinical excellence? Perhaps it’s patient outcomes?

All play a role in your ability to build a career that is as long-lasting as it is rewarding–but they might not be as important as the hospital community in which you work.

That’s right, where you work matters at least as much as how much you make, how well you perform, and whether or not patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

If this sounds far-fetched, consider the study conducted by Press Ganey on the influence of nurses’ work environments on patients, payments, and nurses themselves.

It found that the work environment–the hospital community in which the nurses worked–played the largest role in overall job satisfaction.

And the study included employees and outcome data from 2,000 hospitals across the country.

Yes, the hospital community in which you spend eight, 10, 12 or more hours a day for days on end plays a big role in determining whether or not you are a shining star throughout your career or one that eventually burns out.

Obviously, you want to work in a healthy hospital environment. Here are six key characteristics of a healthy hospital community:

Communication is critically important. When it’s effectively executed at an organizational level, everyone is aware of the hospital’s values, goals, and challenges.

On the unit level, effective communication is just as important as clinical outcomes. In fact, effective communication can improve clinical outcomes.

True collaboration—where relationships are treated as genuine partnerships—allows physicians to bond, grow professionally, and improve patient outcomes.

It ensures that no one feels isolated or left to fend for themselves.

Is there anything worse for a physician than working in an environment where decisive decisions are the exception rather than the rule?

No, there isn’t.

Effective decision-making means that decisions are made collaboratively, with an understanding of how they will affect everyone in the organization. They are clearly communicated and consistently implemented.

Any physician who has worked on an understaffed unit knows how vital appropriate staffing is to achieving the best outcomes without jeopardizing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of staff.

Inadequate staffing often leads to stress and burnout.

Everyone wants to be recognized for their contributions. Research shows that recognition for a job well done can be the difference between job satisfaction and dissatisfaction.

While you may not seek public acknowledgment, internally, recognizing contributions plays a key role in your satisfaction and choosing a hospital community that values its employees.

Effective, authentic leadership is well-documented to influence the healthcare system’s ability to provide safe and effective care.

It also impacts your experience.

A lack of leadership can create an environment where communication and collaboration suffer, decisions are delayed, staffing is inadequate, and recognition is lacking. This can lead to burnout and a decline in career satisfaction.

When these issues arise, factors like compensation, clinical excellence, and patient outcomes may suffer, affecting your career trajectory.

Thinking it might be time for a change? Consider joining us at Elliot Health System. We pride ourselves on our vibrant community and are always hiring.

Elliot Health System is a 296-bed hospital in Manchester, NH. In 2017, we had 12,831 admissions, making us the busiest community hospital in New Hampshire. Our physicians performed over 111,000 ER and Urgent Care visits, 1,891 deliveries, 8,300 surgical procedures, and over 390,000 outpatient visits.