Perceptions of trust in physician-managers
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the dual role of physician-managers through an examination of perceptions of trust and distrust in physician-managers. The healthcare sector needs physicians to lead. Physicians in part-time managerial positions who continue their medical practice are called part-time physician-managers. This paper explores this dual role through an examination of perceptions of trust and distrust in physician-managers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study takes a qualitative research approach in which interviews and focus group discussions with physician-managers and nurse-managers provide the empirical data. An analytical model, with the three elements of ability, benevolence and integrity, was used in the analysis of trust and distrust in physician-managers.
Findings
The respondents (physician-managers and nurse-managers) perceived both an increase and a decrease in physicians’ trust in the physician-managers. Because elements of distrust were more numerous and more severe than elements of trust, the physician-managers received negative perceptions of their role.
Research limitations/implications
This paper’s findings are based on perceptions of perceptions. The physicians were not interviewed on their trust and distrust of physician-managers.
Practical implications
The healthcare sector must pay attention to the diverse expectations of the physician-manager role that is based on both managerial and medical logics. Hospital management should provide proper support to physician-managers in their dual role to ensure their willingness to continue to assume managerial responsibilities.
Originality/value
The paper takes an original approach in its research into the dual role of physician-managers who work under two conflicting logics: the medical logic and the managerial logic. The focus on perceived trust and distrust in physician-managers is a new perspective on this complicated role.
Keywords
Citation
Cregård, A. and Eriksson, N. (2015), "Perceptions of trust in physician-managers", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 281-297. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-11-2014-0074
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited