Late Career Practitioners: Balancing Patient Safety and Physician Autonomy

Because older physicians may experience declines in cognition, sensory abilities, and adherence to best practices, many organizations are adopting late career practitioner (LCP) programs to identify and manage physicians with compromised competence. This project investigates how these programs can be implemented to balance patient safety with other key values. Building on previous Greenwall research, we will (1) characterize 40 LCP policies, (2) interview 30 LCP program leaders about program design, (3) examine physician engagement through 9 focus groups, and 4) analyze normative issues.