Preparing Physician Leaders for the Future
Abstract
In an extremely challenging healthcare environment, the expertise and perspective of physician leaders are needed more than ever. The benefits and value of physician leadership have been well-proven during the past few decades. Evidence shows that physician-led hospitals outperform other hospitals, and effective physician leaders are associated with better well-being in the physicians they supervise. Non-physician healthcare executives have welcomed physician leaders into their ranks, and top-performing organizations recognize the need for more physician leaders. Insufficient leadership development may limit the effectiveness of individual physician leaders and the number of physicians who successfully rise into formal leadership positions. Physicians practicing and contributing administratively as informal leaders across a variety of environments will also benefit from the opportunity to develop similar skill sets. Healthcare organizations and physician practices should prioritize physician leadership development to ensure a pipeline of leaders to tackle the ongoing challenges they face.