Richard G. Stefanacci, DO, of Philadelphia-based Thomas Jefferson University, shares his experience with the physician generation gap, according to Managed Care.
Here are six observations:
1. Dr. Stefanacci said his 85-year-old physician father is considered a traditionalist. His generation of physicians is often associated with being, "dedicated, conventional, respectful of order and altruistic."
2. Traditionalist physicians are between the ages of 60 and 90 and are typically retired or serving in leadership roles. Dr. Stefanacci describes this generation of physicians as hardworking, but don't integrate well with teams and technology.
3. His 20-year-old daughter is considering a career in medicine, now, a thought process he claims is different from that of his generation. Dr. Stefanacci knew he wanted to be a physician at age 10, but today many healthcare professionals do not have traditional pre-med backgrounds.
4. Dr. Stefanacci classifies the millennial generation as "confident, practical, creative" and technologically-adept.
5. He labels his baby boomer generation as valuing "hierarchy and a strong chain of command."
6. Dr. Stefanacci suggests managed care organization leaders connect with their physicians in a variety of ways, depending on their generation.