Data, facts and instruments on the German health system
What it’s all about
A key prerequisite for smooth practice management functionality in practices with multiple physicians is that the medical team largely harmonizes in its leadership and management behavior and „pulls in the same direction.“ Disruptions to harmony have a direct negative impact on teamwork and staff work performance.
The Interworking Quality Score ( IQS)
If one compares the individual implementations of the best practice standard of practice management in such practice operations on a physician-by-doctor basis, the degree of congruence, the Interworking Quality Score (IQS), can be used to make a statement about the quality of cooperation with regard to the overall performance of the practice:
- IQS > 80%: synergistic collaboration.
A congruence of 80% or more characterizes the optimum of a physician team collaboration.
- IQS > 60% to <= 80%: Partnership cooperation.
This constellation is already close to the optimum, but there are still gaps in the alignment that have an unfavorable impact on staff and work performance.
- IQS > 40% to <= 60%: Joint task completion
In this case, people work together, but alignment exists only on individual areas. In addition, the collaboration is often characterized by latent conflicts; each partner physician strives to complete his or her own tasks as well as possible, but a sustained commitment to integrated work does not exist.
- IQS 0% to <= 40%: Independent task completion.
This collaborative situation is characterized by „lone wolf“ behavior.
The IQS reality
The results of the IFABS Betriebsvergleich-Tracker© for general practice, specialist practice and dental practice management show that a mean IQS of 48.7% is currently achieved in practice communities and group practices. Given the importance of collaboration quality, it is therefore essential for practice owners to know the IQS of their operations. The indicator is an integrative part of the Practice Management Business Comparison©, a validated procedure that analyzes practice management by means of benchmarking in a 360-degree view, determines its status and identifies unused opportunities for improvement without the need for an on-site consultant.
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