The physician engagement crisis, with Bill Heller of CHG Healthcare

Most physicians say they’re satisfied with their jobs — but far fewer say they feel engaged at work. That disconnect is at the center of CHG Healthcare’s 2025 Physician Sentiment Survey, which draws on responses from more than 900 physicians nationwide.

In this episode of Off the Chart, Medical Economics Assistant Editor Austin Littrell speaks with Bill Heller, chief operating officer at CHG Healthcare, about what’s driving low engagement despite relatively high satisfaction. They break down the survey’s findings on trust in leadership, communication gaps, administrative burden, economic pressure and why engagement plays such a critical role in retention.

Heller also discusses what highly engaged physicians say makes the biggest difference in their day-to-day work, why involvement in decision-making, including around technology and artificial intelligence (AI), matters more than ever, and what health care leaders can do now to improve engagement without major new spending.

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Music Credits:
Midnight Serenade by MORRIX Holyhold - stock.adobe.com
A Textbook Example by Skip Peck - stock.adobe.com

Editor's note: Episode timestamps and transcript produced using AI tools.

0:00 — Cold open
Why physician engagement is one of the most powerful retention tools health systems have.

0:16 — Intro
Austin Littrell introduces CHG Healthcare’s 2025 Physician Sentiment Survey and its core findings.

1:31 — Satisfaction vs. engagement
Why 75% job satisfaction doesn’t prevent turnover when only 18% of physicians feel engaged.

2:55 — What highly engaged physicians report differently
Transparency, open communication and trust in leadership stand out

3:09 — How leaders build trust day to day
Visibility, explaining the “why,” frequent check-ins, and closing feedback loops.

5:40 — Trust gaps between physicians and executives
Why physicians trust direct supervisors far more than executive leadership.

7:46 — Net Promoter Score and physician loyalty
What a negative NPS says about physician advocacy and organizational risk.

10:56 — Physicians want a voice — but feel excluded
Why most doctors want input into decisions and how leaders can meaningfully involve them.

13:10 — When physician input becomes performative
Why late-stage consultation undermines trust and better decision-making.

15:13 — P2 Management Minute
Keith Reynolds on practical, real-world workflow and engagement ideas.

16:02 — Moonlighting, job changes and economic uncertainty
How engagement dramatically lowers the likelihood physicians will leave.

19:16 — Financial stress and physician decision-making
Why economic uncertainty affects physicians more than leaders may assume.

21:16 — Administrative burden and documentation pressure
What engaged physicians say helps make daily pressures more manageable.

24:44 — Artificial intelligence: hope and concern
Why physicians want AI to reduce burden — not simply increase patient volume.

27:01 — The message physicians want leaders to hear
Visibility, listening, well-being and time for patient care.

27:50 — What leaders may be underestimating
Why small changes can produce meaningful gains in engagement.

29:13 — Outro
Final thanks, credits and where to find future episodes.