I work with physicians who are:
- On a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
- Referred for Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE)
- Seeking professionalism support related to repeated patient or staff complaints
- Struggling with tone, communication, or conflict under stress
Many physicians in these situations feel blindsided or unfairly targeted. Most were never taught how to navigate formal remediation processes or how to translate non-specific feedback into concrete change.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, the first step is a conversation.
Physicians and healthcare organizations I’ve worked with include:
The Focus of Behavioral Coaching
Most PIPs and professionalism referrals are driven by patterns, not single events. These patterns often involve communication style, emotional reactivity, workflow friction, or how stress shows up in interactions with colleagues, staff, or patients.
Behavioral coaching focuses on:
- Pinpointing the situations where problems reliably show up
- Getting clear on what is actually happening in those moments
- Developing specific responses that work under clinical pressure
- Replacing unhelpful patterns with behaviors that are consistent and repeatable
The goal is not to change who you are. The goal is to change what others experience.
Navigating a PIP or FPPE
Once a PIP, FPPE, or professionalism corrective action is in place, it can be hard to know what to do. Navigating the process of meeting the terms of the plan can feel confusing, intimidating, unfair, and scary.
Coaching provides structure during a period that is otherwise disorienting. It turns broad directives like “communicate better” or “be more collegial” into concrete actions that can be practiced, evaluated, and reinforced.
Listen to How I Coach Physicians on a Performance Improvement Plan
This podcast episode walks through what PIPs are, why they so often fail, and how physicians can navigate them without making the situation worse.
Why This Coaching Works
For Physicians
As a fellow physician, I understand the intense demands of practicing medicine. My coaching focuses on helping you:
- Break free from destructive behaviors and refocus on the work you trained for.
- Handle conflict with calm and constructive approaches.
- Strengthen leadership and communication skills to earn trust and inspire your team.
For Hospitals
When a physician’s behavior disrupts the team or puts their career at risk, timely intervention is critical. I help:
- Uncover root causes of problematic behavior and implement strategies for lasting change.
- Rebuild trust with colleagues, leadership, and patients.
- Avoid turnover and costly remediation by resolving issues effectively.
What Previous Clients Say
What the Process Looks Like
First, we talk
We start with a conversation. You explain what’s going on and what you’re being asked to change. If available, I will review your PIP or FPPE. We look at the situation together and decide whether coaching makes sense right now.
Then we get specific
We identify the behaviors under review and the instances where they show up. This is not a discussion of personality or intent. It is a clear look at what is happening in interactions and how it is being perceived.
Then we do the work
Behavioral coaching is a 6-month engagement. We meet weekly for the first few months. Our focus is on identifying reactivity when it first arises and on developing skills and tools to expand the space between the external stimulus and your response.
Progress is made clear
When a hospital or medical group is involved, I help communicate progress in a way leadership understands, without sharing coaching conversations (which are confidential). The emphasis is on sustained change.