Blending Cultures
Around 6 years ago Clarian Health Methodist Hospital and Indiana University School of Medicine merged into one organization. Historically 2 separate hospital, approximately 1 mile apart, functioned as competitors but with the merger the goal was to unify resources to strengthen the system. Clarian was a private practice based model and Indiana University a traditional academic based practice. As the departments continue to merge and fall under over-riding chiefs of medicine the culture between the 2 facilities have had a difficult time assimilating. In the next several years the plan is to build a new facility that everyone would be housed under.
The Methodist side continues to be a high volume, high productivity, center with physicians carrying higher patient loads and longer hours relying less on trainees. On the University side the academic approach remains focused on the academic model with smaller patient loads, a high number of trainees on each team, increased dependance trainees for call, and a greater focus on protected time for research.
As the healthcare model continues to evolve, setting productivity requirements, salaries, and general expectations between to the two philosophies continues to be a challenge. The problem of how to value what each side of the street is bringing to the table remains contentious at times with each side working to ensure they feel represented in their goals and values, while being fairly compensated. This problem is becoming increasingly common across the US as financially purely academic institutions without large research endowments are forced to merge with private institutions to ensure financial stability.
How do you merge such different approaches to healthcare delivery and keep attrition rates low due to unhappiness with the direction of the practice?
