Though many physicians would like to be led by other physicians, medical schools often do not teach leadership skills that would make physicians effective managers, according to the Harvard Business Review.
Because medical schools neglect this training, it is the organization's responsibility to arm their physicians with the leadership skills they require. The most effective way to do this is to create a structured framework that allows physicians to take on more responsibilities as they grow their management skill set.
Here is a five-tiered pipeline hospitals and health systems can establish to grow physician leadership within their organizations.
1. Individual Practitioner. This is the standard physician role, which values clinical expertise and the ability to relate to patients.
2. MD Leader. This level of the pipeline involves management of a hospital program or medical group, which combines clinical oversight with business considerations. Delegating work and increasing emotional intelligence are important at this stage of the pipeline.
3. Market MD Leader. Physicians at this stage are responsible for a region or business segment. Communication, collaboration and long-term strategic thought are the skills that physician-leaders should focus on cultivating as a Market MD Leader.
4. Group MD Leader. This role is usually a CMO or chair of a faculty department at an academic medical center. Skills such as increased strategy evaluation and portfolio assessment must be taught to leaders in this position.
5. Enterprise MD Leader. This is a top leadership position such as CEO. The visionary and strategic expertise required here are a culmination of all the skills learned at every previous position, as well as the relational and communication abilities honed since the Individual Practitioner stage.
Establishing this kind of pipeline can help organizations recruit early-career physicians who are interested in taking on leadership roles and are willing to work on developing their management skills.