The Power of Relationship Building

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In this op-ed, I want to share why strong relationships with medical providers and colleagues are critical. In addition, I explore how to cultivate them strategically and genuinely, discuss ways to maintain them when the road gets bumpy and provide insights into repairing breaches when they inevitably occur. When I contemplate the importance of building, maintaining, and—when necessary—repairing relationships with medical providers, I am repeatedly reminded of the high-stakes reality of our work. The complexity and intensity of healthcare demand that we function as cohesive, respectful, and mutually supportive teams. Our ultimate responsibility is to deliver outstanding patient care, and the strength of the relationships we cultivate with medical providers directly reflects our commitment to that responsibility. Recent studies point to the indispensable value of trust, psychological safety, transparent communication, and ongoing professional development in cementing robust hospital-provider relationships. Prioritizing these strategies and consistently renewing our efforts, leaders can create a culture that attracts top talent and retains passionate professionals dedicated to clinical excellence. Furthermore, when bumps inevitably occur along the road of collaboration—whether due to conflict, resource constraints, or shifting institutional priorities—taking swift, transparent, and empathetic steps to mend relationships can decide between organizational stagnation and meaningful progress.

As a healthcare leader, the bedrock of any successful institution lies in how well we treat the people responsible for carrying out our mission on the front lines. Building and sustaining these relationships is not a transient project but an ongoing journey that requires us to listen intentionally, communicate honestly, acknowledge excellence, support growth, and foster mutual accountability. At the end of the day, strong hospital-provider relationships are not just the hallmark of an effective healthcare organization; they are the guiding force that ensures we do right by the patients who trust us with their lives. In my years as a leader, I have seen firsthand how the strength of relationships with medical providers—physicians, nurses, specialists, and ancillary professionals—can make or break the quality of care we deliver. I have witnessed the positive transformation that unfolds when leaders take the time to invest in these relationships, as well as the serious organizational pitfalls that arise from neglecting them. In many ways, forging enduring and resilient connections with medical providers is both an art and a science, requiring consistent dedication, empathy, and mutual respect. When effectively cultivated, these relationships are the scaffolding that upholds patient satisfaction, health outcomes, and overall hospital performance.

Before I stepped into the leadership role, I was fully immersed in the clinical world, working with patients daily and coordinating with many fellow professionals. During that time, I learned a fundamental lesson that has stayed with me: cohesive, trust-based relationships among clinicians are not only a matter of workplace satisfaction but are also central to the mission of any healthcare institution. When a hospital’s leadership team and its medical providers work as unified partners, the result is a higher standard of care for patients, greater job satisfaction for providers, and, ultimately, a more efficient and innovative hospital system. Research consistently corroborates that high-trust healthcare environments exhibit fewer medical errors, improved patient outcomes, and reduced staff burnout. Central to this dynamic is psychological safety, which is the sense of taking interpersonal risks without fear of retribution or humiliation. When providers trust that their voices and concerns matter, they are more inclined to offer candid feedback and share potential issues before those issues morph into more significant crises. A study published in the Journal of Interprofessional Care found that healthcare teams operating in psychologically safe environments outperformed other teams in patient safety indicators by significant margins. These findings highlight the direct link between healthy relationships—rooted in trust—and improved patient outcomes. Likewise, when hospital leaders foster a transparent and inclusive decision-making culture, providers feel valued, spurring them to go above and beyond in their patient care responsibilities. In addition, strong hospital-provider relationships can help institutions adapt to the rapidly changing healthcare landscape. In recent years, the push for value-based care has accelerated the need for tighter coordination and collaboration across the healthcare continuum. Simply put, strong relationships are the fuel that propels sustained organizational performance and quality patient care forward.

The first step in building strong relationships with medical providers is approaching the task with a genuine sense of shared purpose. As healthcare leaders, we often find ourselves in positions of authority that can unintentionally create distance. However, we can bridge any perceived gaps by consistently demonstrating active listening and a willingness to co-create solutions. In my own experience, when I first assumed a leadership position, I intentionally conducted “listening tours”: I visited different departments, asked open-ended questions, and worked alongside providers to understand their daily workflows. Through this approach, I was able to appreciate their pain points and successes in a more visceral way. These tours helped me build rapport and provided insights that would have otherwise remained buried in spreadsheets and data reports. The second cornerstone in building relationships is through authentic communication. By “authentic,” I mean transparent, regular, and genuinely inclusive communication. Transparent communication involves sharing both the successes and the challenges of the organization. It consists of acknowledging mistakes and proactively addressing them. A particularly salient technique is establishing regular feedback loops—for instance, by organizing recurring departmental huddles that communicate leadership updates and provide an open forum for provider input. Even simple tactics like soliciting feedback through anonymous surveys show providers that you genuinely care about their perspectives. Another is recognition and appreciation. In the frenetic environment of a hospital, where lives hang in the balance, it is easy for us to rush from one crisis to the next. Acknowledging excellence and celebrating small wins can transform morale and group cohesion. Whether awarding clinical teams for innovative patient care approaches or publicly praising staff for going above and beyond, these gestures cultivate a spirit of unity. A 2020 Journal of Hospital Administration study found that medical teams who felt recognized for their contributions reported higher job satisfaction and demonstrated more willingness to collaborate across specialties. Small acts of recognition can accumulate into a powerful organizational shift toward mutual respect and positivity. Finally, conflict resolution mechanisms play an integral role in maintaining relationships. Even in the most cohesive teams, disagreements and misunderstandings are inevitable. The ability to recognize conflict early and handle it transparently and respectfully sets successful hospital systems apart. Regular “pulse checks” with providers and staff can help uncover simmering issues before they erupt. Many institutions succeed with a standardized approach to conflict resolution that clearly outlines steps for initiating dialogue, mediating disagreements, and finalizing mutually acceptable solutions. Such protocols reinforce the understanding that, within our institution, conflicts are addressed constructively rather than swept under the rug.

Despite our best efforts, relationships can falter. Often, they do so not because of one egregious event but due to a slow erosion of trust over time. In these circumstances, it's crucial to intervene quickly. The aim is not just to address the immediate issue but to reestablish the underlying trust that has been broken. Further, transparency and accountability from leadership are essential if a rift has emerged due to administrative decisions that providers perceive as misguided or harmful. When such tension arises, it is imperative to hold candid meetings where leadership acknowledges errors, clarifies the reasons behind the decisions, and invites provider feedback on how to proceed. In my leadership style, I have learned that being forthright about the limits of our knowledge or resources fosters shared ownership in resolving the problem. For instance, during budget cuts in which the hospital had to reduce specific equipment purchases, direct conversations with affected physicians and staff led to creative, collaborative solutions that preserved key patient services. Admitting the constraints we were under and soliciting their expertise helped repair trust and build an even more resilient alliance for the future. By reconnecting providers to the larger “why” of patient care, we can mend broken relationships in a way that feels authentic and forward-looking.