Physicians enhancing their professional performance

Ultimately, this thesis aims to support the consistent manifestation of physicians' high professional performance in demanding hospital settings. Given the many challenges that potentially hinder physicians' professional performance, a better understanding of how physicians perceive and manage their professional performance is needed. I have chosen to study the construct of physicians' professional performance through two specific research lenses: well-being and leadership. Both physicians' well-being and leadership qualities are part of a contemporary discussion and essential to their professional performance. More specifically, I conducted seven studies to answer the research question:
How do physicians in Dutch hospital settings perceive and enhance their professional performance with regard to well-being and leadership?
The findings of this thesis confirm the necessity of physicians who are fit to perform and have skills beyond caring for individual patients. In addition, reducing excessive workloads and having sufficient learning and development opportunities seem almost universally relevant to enhance physicians' well-being and professional performance. The findings illustrate that 'what' is needed to strengthen physicians' well-being and professional performance is well-known. However, knowledge is limited on the 'how', including 'who' feels responsible for taking action. Based on the findings, I present three strategies physicians and others involved in supporting the profession can use to enhance physicians' professional performance in clinical practice.
• Frame and address physicians' well-being from a professional performance perspective
• Enhance physicians' professional performance by using commitment-based rather than control-based leadership approaches
• Recognize and value different facets of physicians' professional performance and provide aligned educational activities