How medical practices handle their most difficult employees

Every medical practice has at least one: the employee who shows up late, clashes with coworkers or quietly undermines the team. But in an industry where staffing shortages remain a top concern, addressing problem employees is rarely as simple as writing someone up and moving on.

Physicians Practice recently surveyed its audience of physicians and medical practice administrators to learn how they identify, address and resolve employee issues. The results paint a picture of leaders who rely heavily on informal conversations, feel only somewhat confident in their approach and often hesitate to act because they cannot afford to lose staff. Here is what they told us.