Physician specialty differences in unprofessional behaviors observed and reported by coworkers.
Unprofessional behavior creates an environment prone to complications, poor staff communication, and loss of patient trust. In participating hospitals, staff can submit safety reports about coworkers demonstrating unprofessional behavior to the Coworker Concern Observation Reporting System (CORS). This study breaks down CORS reports by physician specialty (nonsurgeon nonproceduralists, emergency medicine physicians, nonsurgeon proceduralists, and surgeons). Less than 10% of all staff had 1 or more reports. Surgeons had the highest percentage of physicians with at least one CORS report (13.8%) and nonsurgeon nonproceduralists had the least (5.6%). A subanalysis compared pediatric and non-pediatric specialists. Pediatric nonsurgeon nonproceduralists had fewer reports compared to nonpediatric nonsurgeon nonproceduralists. There were no differences between the other three groups.