How can you ensure physician input is valued in negotiations?

1 Assess the situation

Before you enter a negotiation, you need to understand the context, the goals, and the stakeholders involved. What are the main issues or problems that need to be addressed? What are the desired outcomes and benefits for each party? Who are the decision-makers and influencers on both sides? How do they relate to each other and to you? By doing a thorough assessment, you can identify the areas of agreement and disagreement, the potential sources of conflict and cooperation, and the best strategies and tactics to use.

2 Engage physicians early

One of the most common mistakes in negotiations is to assume that physicians will agree with your proposals or accept your decisions without consultation. This can lead to resentment, resistance, and mistrust, which can undermine the negotiation process and the relationship. To avoid this, you need to engage physicians early and often, and involve them in the planning and preparation stages. Ask for their input, feedback, and suggestions, and show that you value their expertise, experience, and opinions. By doing this, you can build rapport, credibility, and mutual respect with physicians, and increase their buy-in and commitment.

4 Address issues and interests

Negotiations often involve complex and sensitive issues that can trigger strong emotions and reactions from both parties. To handle these issues effectively, you need to focus on the underlying interests and needs of each party, rather than the positions or demands. For example, instead of arguing about who should have more authority or responsibility, you can explore what motivates each party, what they value, and what they fear. By doing this, you can identify common ground, shared values, and compatible interests, and find creative and mutually beneficial solutions.

6 Follow up and follow through

The negotiation process does not end when you reach an agreement or a decision. You need to follow up and follow through to ensure that the agreement or decision is implemented, monitored, and evaluated. You need to document the details, terms, and conditions of the agreement or decision, and communicate them to all relevant parties. You also need to assign roles and responsibilities, set timelines and milestones, and establish feedback and review mechanisms. Most importantly, you need to honor your commitments, deliver on your promises, and address any issues or concerns that may arise. By doing this, you can reinforce the trust, collaboration, and alignment that you have built with physicians, and ensure the success and sustainability of the negotiation outcomes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?