CMO or VPMA: Is there a difference?

A recent article in the Physician Executive Journal of Medical Management (May/June 2009) raised the question: "What is the difference between a CMO and a VPMA?"

Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) teamed up to explore this question. Diverse viewpoints regarding the differences and similarities of these two roles were gathered from an online survey, discussion groups and personal interviews.

The resulting article explores how the healthcare marketplace is defining the CMO and VPMA roles today. While healthcare organizations and their physician leaders varied widely in their readiness to put a stake in the ground on this subject, there is certainly room for further discussion.

The key message is that organizations seeking to establish and develop a top physician leadership role should clearly define their clinical and business objectives upfront, then honestly assess the culture of their organization and its readiness to accept a physician executive. Then it will be ready to define a role that will attract and leverage the talents of the best physician executives available.

We’d like to hear from you.

How do you define the roles of CMO and VPMA? In your opinion, what is the difference between a CMO and a VPMA?

Join the discussion and debate! Click on the 'comment' button below.

Physician Executive Career Workshop

Friday, February 6, 2009
University of Texas at Dallas
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Make plans now to join us for a half-day workshop on physician executive careers.

Physician executives are practicing physicians who have stepped up into a position of administrative leadership in their hospital, health system or medical organization.

Hosted by three leading physician executive recruiters and a panel of nationally recognized physician leaders, you’ll learn:

• What roles do physician executives play? What are their responsibilities?
• What different career paths are available to physician executives?
• How large is the market for physician executives? How fast is it growing?
• How do you get started as a physician executive? How do you advance?
• What compensation and contract terms do physician executives typically receive?
• What credentials do you need to advance as a physician executive?
• How do you deal with physician executive recruiters? What are they looking for?
• What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

What are the pluses and minuses of a physician executive career? You’ll hear presentations and have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with three of the nation’s foremost physician executive recruiters:

• Jennifer Grebenschikoff, Vice President, Physician Executive Management Center
• Lois Dister, Vice President and Practice Leader, Cejka Search
• Bonnie Siegel, Vice President, Cejka Search

You’ll also hear from a panel of distinguished physician executive leaders:

• David Teegarden MD, MS, President and Chief Medical Officer, Trinity Mother Frances Health System
• David Winter, MD, MS, President, MedProvider and Chairman, Baylor Health Texas Provider Network
• William Rayburn, MD, MBA, Chief of Staff and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
  

This event qualifies for 4 hours of Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.

Cost of the workshop is only $50, but seating is limited.

Register today by going to: http://amme.utdallas.edu and click on: Physician Executive Careers