146: Leading for Physician Equity with Pringl Miller, MD, FACS

The Healthcare QualityCast

Introducing Dr. Pringl Miller, a General Surgeon, also with a Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Medicine, as well as Clinical Medical Ethics. Dr. Pringl is the Founder and Executive Director of Physician Just Equity, an organization created to help empower doctors through complex work conflicts. In this episode Dr. Pringl discusses the problem of physician inequity and maltreatment of doctors especially among healthcare leaders, highlighting the negative impacts on the healthcare industry. Top Takeaways • [06:48] Women and underrepresented people in Medicine and Surgery seem to be more vulnerable to harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Usually, these situations are unrelated to their clinical quality or work proficiency. • [10:56] Lessons from failure: It's important to understand the culture and engage in proactive communication with colleagues to minimize misunderstanding. Also, remember that not every environment is going to be supportive of your authentic self and it's better to part ways amicably. • [14:23] When faced with such challenging situations, it is important to avoid going into conversations hot but to take time and understand what happened, and be sure that the cultural values in that workplace align with yours. • [17:13] Tools for building intimate connections: Respect for colleagues, Active Listening, and Aligning with what gives people meaning. • [21:18] Best 'Aha' moment: Moving from clinical work to focus on her foundation gave a lightness, and Dr. Pringl realized that it was because she left an environment where there was a constant expectation for her to fail. • [27:40] Ongoing changes in the healthcare industry: There is a heightened awareness of health inequity and the need for health justice as the pandemic brought to light some of the racial inequities in the healthcare system. • [33:28] Professionals need to be encouraged to move into healthcare by improving the workplace treatment of doctors, especially the underrepresented groups of doctors; this alone is a major reason for the mass exit of healthcare professionals. • [37:05] Dr. Pringl is inspired by her work to lead by example, and this passion helps her inspire workers in her organization. • [40:45] Dr. Pringl's message to herself in the past is "it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game". To herself in the future, she hopes all her challenges have helped her grow productively. • [42:07] Dr. Pringl encourages listeners to reach out and offer support through the Physician Just Equity website. Key Quotes: "Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced" - James Baldwin "40% of women leave Medicine altogether or go to part-time within 6 years of completing their training" "We are all stories" "If you're not being allowed to shine and to thrive, there's something wrong with your workplace environment" Connect: Find | Dr. Pringl Miller LinkedIn – Dr. Pringl Miller Twitter - @equitydocs --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/healthcarequalitycast/message