Hospital to Onboard Physicians with Slumber Party

Jackson Parker, M.D., trauma surgeon and Chief Medical Officer at Tip Top Medical Center in Ames, IA plans to make the physician credentialing process more fun. Dr. Parker hopes that slumber parties will make a difference.

Tip Top Medical is focused on improving physician wellness. As part of this initiative, they want to make physician onboarding more streamlined and less stressful.

“We need to make the credentialing process more meaningful. The process can be stressful for credentialing committee members who review multiple applications and for the physician candidates. Most physicians wear business attire when they interview. And we realized that most of Tip Top’s physicians don’t wear suits to work. Then our credentialing committee had a eureka moment,” explains Dr. Parker.

Alexis Matthews, M.D., Intensive care specialist and credentialing committee member explains the discovery. “One day during a credentialing meeting, we noted the stress level in a few of our physician candidates. We wondered if they would be more comfortable in their pajamas.” says Dr. Matthews.

Wearing pajamas also hit close to home with Dr. Parker. “I wear suits every day. They make me feel really restricted. And the starch in my shirts literally feels stiff. With too much starch, it’s hard to walk, breathe and move in general. With pajamas, you slip them on, and you’re good to go,” assures Dr. Parker.

The credentialing committee wants the standard pajama fabric to be silk. “We did a poll of our physicians, and silk pajamas won with a two-to-one margin over cotton,” exclaims Dr. Matthews.

Some people question the value of interviews, and Dr. Matthews hopes to get a more realistic review of physician candidates. “Our new application process will require physicians to tell us what size pajamas they wear. And we will have many teambuilding exercises like charades,” reports Dr. Matthews.

Timothy Radcliffe, D.O., pulmonologist, and sleep medicine specialist, gives the slumber party idea high praises. “I am on staff at four other hospitals, and the traditional credentialing process is boring at best. A slumber party would keep physicians engaged, and they would learn so much more about the hospital,” reports Dr. Radcliffe.

Tip Top’s idea is different. But will other hospitals get their physicians credentialed in silk pajamas?