Who does the doctors answer to??

RelloydRN · Apr 3, 2010

The Medical Director, their board of medicine, and ultimately, their patients!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2010

Why does it take so much for action to be done for their behaviors.

In the hospital setting, doctors are regarded as the money-makers of healthcare facilities because they refer patients to hospitals where they have admitting privileges. Patients equate to dollars that the hospitals really want. If a doctor is confronted on his behavior too many times at one facility, he/she will simply take his/her patients (and revenue) to another hospital.

When you flip the same coin, the nurse is considered a loss in the hospital setting because the facility must pay us wages and benefits that are deducted from the profit margin at the end of the day, along with the cost of bath soap and toothpaste.

To answer your question, hospital administration is reluctant to confront bad physician behavior because they do not want to lose their money makers to neighboring facilities. The same hospital administration will readily discipline nurses because we are deemed more easily replaceable.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2010

MD or DO licensure = state board of Medicine or Healing Arts or whatever it's called in that state

at a hospital, they answer to their Chief of Service, be that Medicine, Surgery, or whatever their specialty

house staff (residents) answer to their physician overseer, whoever that might be

In reality, private doctors who are not employees of a hospital system rarely, it seems, have to answer to anyone. They do do appalling things and get by with it. Now that a lot of doctors' practices are owned by hospital systems, now that doctors are employees the way a nurse or tech is an employee, they are beginning to behave themselves a little better. It's been a slow train coming. But the times they are a'changing.

If you decide to take on docs personally, good luck. And think twice before challenging them in a confrontational manner. You'll be out on your ear before you can say ticonderoga, if thou canst say ticonderoga, to quote Curly of the 3 Stooges, LOL.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Apr 3, 2010

In the hospital setting, doctors are regarded as the money-makers of healthcare facilities because they refer patients to hospitals where they have admitting privileges. Patients equate to dollars that the hospitals really want. If a doctor is confronted on his behavior too many times at one facility, he/she will simply take his/her patients (and revenue) to another hospital.
When you flip the same coin, the nurse is considered a loss in the hospital setting because the facility must pay us wages and benefits that are deducted from the profit margin at the end of the day, along with the cost of bath soap and toothpaste.
To answer your question, hospital administration is reluctant to confront bad physician behavior because they do not want to lose their money makers to neighboring facilities. The same hospital administration will readily discipline nurses because we are deemed more easily replaceable.

That is changing.

More physicians are being hired by hospital systems as they rid themselves of the expenses of their practice. They make beaucoup money without the overhead.

With that benefit, however, they now have to answer to the HR department of that system. If they harass an employee to the point where they are not able to work comfortably (sexually or otherwise), they will have to answer to the HR BIG-TIME.

The employees CAN sue the hospital system for making the environment unfriendly, and in turn, the physician(s) also.

So, the balance of power becomes equitable.

Nurses need a good working environment OR they WILL get rid of the physician(s) who create issues.

They will because they can.

That's what happens when the hospital system is in charge, and NOT the docs.

Kashia, ASN, LVN · Apr 3, 2010

The medical board, and I have seen doctors that had lic pulled so it really is a system that works.

Ultimately their patients and perhaps a judge or jury should it come around to them.

Now we all have heard that some doctors think they are God. But in the bigger picture

underneath their clothes they are naked mortals like everyone else.

Lucky0220 · Apr 4, 2010

That is changing.
More physicians are being hired by hospital systems as they rid themselves of the expenses of their practice. They make beaucoup money without the overhead.
With that benefit, however, they now have to answer to the HR department of that system. If they harass an employee to the point where they are not able to work comfortably (sexually or otherwise), they will have to answer to the HR BIG-TIME.
The employees CAN sue the hospital system for making the environment unfriendly, and in turn, the physician(s) also.
So, the balance of power becomes equitable.
Nurses need a good working environment OR they WILL get rid of the physician(s) who create issues.
They will because they can.
That's what happens when the hospital system is in charge, and NOT the docs.

While this may be changing, can you honestly say this is the norm and not the exception? You say an employee can sue the hospital for making the environment unfriendly. Now really, this is hardly possible when it is nurse to nurse hostility, let alone if it would be doctor to nurse hostility. Maybe you know something that I don't.

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2010

While this may be changing, can you honestly say this is the norm and not the exception? You say an employee can sue the hospital for making the environment unfriendly. Now really, this is hardly possible when it is nurse to nurse hostility, let alone if it would be doctor to nurse hostility. Maybe you know something that I don't.

It's doable where I work. The nurse to nurse hostility exists--we don't pretend it doesn't, but it is NOT condoned, nor is it ignored.

There are appropriate steps to follow.

Yes--we are WAY ahead of the game when it comes to a work environment.