Senior Vice President, Senior Search Consultant
As the industry moves forward with reform measures, the
question I often hear is: What does it take to be a great physician
leader? Through observation, shared
insights and my own evolution as a physician in clinical, teaching and academic health system leadership roles, the answer lies in the dynamics of change.
Increased Demand for
Physician Executives
As health care reform progresses, change has been the
constant state. Reimbursement based on quality and outcomes has changed the
focus from volume to value; navigating that change requires deep engagement of
physicians in the business of health care and is driving demand for physician
leaders to fill C-Level positions. In fact, in a survey of C-Suite executives,
83 percent said they would be likely, very likely or extremely likely to add
physicians to their management teams.
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| Source: Envisioning the Future Leadership Team of an Accountable Care Organization, February 2011; American College of Physician Executives, Cejka Executive Search and BDC Advisors |
Transactional leaders, a common fixture of health care organizations
of the past, run all the aspects of day-to-day business. They get patients in
and out of the hospital, make sure doctors and staff are happy, and attend to
matters that make the organization function. But today, it isn’t enough to run
the business – leaders now must transform the business of health care.
Developing
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders will guide their organizations
through the changes required for success in a new era of value-based health
care. Yet, health care institutions today place less emphasis on developing
these leaders once they’re in place compared to many other types of businesses
in the corporate world.
Throughout medical training (medical school, residency and
fellowship) clinicians are taught a technical skill set – diagnostic skills,
surgical skills, radiographic skills, and so on. But this expertise – while
essential to the practice of medicine – does not roll over into leadership,
which requires an entirely different set of behavioral characteristics. When
people don’t do well in leadership positions, it’s not because they didn’t have
the skills or technical ability. It’s because they didn’t demonstrate
behavioral skills required to influence people to do what the organization
needed.
Essential Qualities
of Tomorrow’s Leaders
There is no standard approach to health care leadership. All
leaders must develop their own authenticity with their individual strengths and
weaknesses to manage their organizations. But, there are common hallmarks of
successful leaders; the position profiles and job descriptions of these leaders
reflect this shift toward transformational leadership. Health care organizations now are looking for key characteristics in their C-Suite executives:
- Mentors – be a coach to the faculty and staff physicians to help them achieve a higher level of emotional intelligence.
- Visionaries – envision the organization in five years, ten years and beyond.
- Collaborators – build key relationships with stakeholders, including employees, hospitals and the community at large.
- Advocates – be enthusiastic and excited about the job and the direction of the organization.
Ultimately, leadership is a process that requires personal
reflection, mentoring (both giving and receiving) and objective feedback.
Leadership is an evolution – as health care continues to change, so will
successful leaders.
About Ben H.
Brouhard, MD
Dr. Ben H. Brouhard, Senior Vice President and Senior Search
Consultant, joined Cejka Executive Search in 2012 and is passionate about the
development of physician leaders and participation and direction of search
committees. He is the former Executive Director of Women’s and Children’s
Service Line and Associate Chief Medical Officer for Education at MetroHealth
Medical Center. During his 15-year tenure, Dr. Brouhard was among MetroHealth’s
top physician leaders with oversight for operational, clinical and academic
areas, including as Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Executive Vice
President of Medical Affairs. He previously served nearly ten years with the
Cleveland Clinic and the University of Texas Medical Branch, respectively.
For more information on the essential qualities of physician
leaders in today’s health care reality, contact Dr. Brouhard at bbrouhard@cejkasearch.com or (800)
209-8143.
