Doctors Are Better At Managing Hospitals than Managers

Doctors are increasingly being prepared for leadership roles in healthcare organizations. This trend is driven by the complexity of healthcare, the emphasis on patient-centered care and efficiency, and the need for extraordinary leaders to balance quality against cost and technology against humanity. In fact, some of the best hospitals in the US are led by highly skilled doctors. A 2011 study found that hospital quality scores were approximately 25% higher in doctor-run hospitals than in manager-run hospitals.

This correlation between doctor leadership and hospital performance may be due to several factors. For one, doctors create a more sympathetic and productive work environment for other clinicians, as they understand the motivations and incentives of their fellow doctors. They may also be better able to raise the job satisfaction of other clinicians, which can contribute to enhanced organizational performance.

Moreover, doctor-leaders may be better equipped to set appropriate goals and evaluate others’ contributions. They can signal organizational priorities to external stakeholders, such as new hires or patients, and may be better at identifying and hiring talented doctors. They may also be more open to innovative ideas and tolerate appropriate failure, which is a natural part of scientific endeavor and progress.

However, doctors may face handicaps in becoming leaders due to their traditional training in “command and control” environments as “heroic lone healers.” Medical training on the whole conspires against great leadership and lacks formal leadership training. This paradox highlights the need to train doctors more systematically to become great leaders.

Several healthcare institutions, medical societies, and business schools have developed in-house programs to train doctors for leadership roles. These programs aim to introduce doctors to the fundamental principles of business in the delivery of healthcare and personal leadership development. They may focus on emotional intelligence, teambuilding, conflict resolution, situational leadership, and other competencies that fall outside the domain of traditional medical training. The goal is to enhance the pipeline of doctor-leaders so that the benefits of doctor leadership can be more broadly realized.

One example of a successful leadership training program for doctors is the Cleveland Clinic’s “Leading in Health Care” course. This annual, cohort-based course invites nominated, high-potential doctors, nurses, and administrators to engage in 10 days of offsite training in leadership competencies. The course includes emotional intelligence training, 360-degree feedback, executive coaching, teambuilding, conflict resolution, and situational leadership. The course culminates in a team-based innovation project presented to hospital leadership. Over 43% of doctor participants have been promoted to leadership positions at Cleveland Clinic in ten years of follow-up after the initial course.

In conclusion, doctor-leaders are advantaged in healthcare, and this is consistent with observations from multiple other sectors. Doctor leadership may be associated with enhanced organizational performance due to several factors, including creating a more sympathetic and productive work environment, setting appropriate goals and evaluating others’ contributions, signaling organizational priorities, identifying and hiring talented doctors, and tolerating appropriate failure. However, doctors may face handicaps in becoming leaders due to their traditional training in “command and control” environments as “heroic lone healers.” The development of in-house programs to train doctors for leadership roles may enhance the pipeline of doctor-leaders and enable the benefits of doctor leadership to be more broadly realized.

If you are interested in hiring doctors, get in touch with us or visit our website.

Participate in our upcoming Healthcare Diverse Careers Conference & Exhibition as a exhibitor or sponsor.

Read original article here