Jackson Physician Search, a leading firm in physician recruitment, along with Medical Group Management Association, has officially announced the results of new survey which focuses on importance of physician leadership development in guiding healthcare organizations towards effective and sustainable solutions.
Named as Developing the Next Generation of Physician Executives, the stated report claims that, even though many recognize the importance of physician leadership, medical training is still primarily centered on clinical skills. This, like you can guess, sidelines leadership development.
More on the same would reveal how the study in question takes into account responses from more than 300 physicians and healthcare administrators. As for the results, they start by revealing that nearly two-thirds (67%) of practicing physicians expressed a desire to pursue leadership roles, mainly to have a voice in organizational decisions (69%), have an impact in the community (49%), and build and sustain organizational culture (42%).
Among these respondents, positions such as departmental leadership (64%), advocacy roles (43%), and executive management at the clinic or hospital level (42%) were found to be the most popular ones.
That being said, alongside this interest, Jackson Research also uncovered significant gaps in formal leadership training. In essence, the study would claim that medical education of today prioritizes clinical expertise over business acumen, with only 18% of physicians receiving any form of executive or business training during medical school. Keeping the trend alive, just 21% of healthcare organizations were deemed to have formal leadership training programs for physicians, indicating a lack of preparedness on the industry’s part to meet the needs of tomorrow’s C-suite.
“The new research leaves no doubt about the importance of physician leadership,” said Halee Fischer-Wright, MD, MMM, FAAP, FACMPE, president and chief executive officer at Medical Group Management Association. “Healthcare organizations must develop comprehensive leadership pipelines that support aspiring physician leaders through formal programs, coaching and mentoring, immersive workshops, and opportunities for continuing education.”
Another detail worth a mention here is rooted in a piece of data saying that more than 66% organizations typically hire physician leaders from within, but despite this being the case, only 38% have a formal process to identify and select physicians for leadership roles. When recruiting physician leaders, candidate acquisition remains the biggest hurdle (71%).
Not just that, finding qualified physicians for leadership roles has proven difficult for many organizations, with only 13% noting it was somewhat easy or very easy.
Among other things, the survey would reveal how no more than 50% organizations cover a portion of the costs for external leadership development, including degrees and/or certifications. Beyond that, continuing education allowances (80%) were labelled as the most common method of helping to cover these costs, followed by direct reimbursement (59%), and dedicated paid time off for continuing education (46%).
While these results drive its core, the new survey also brings forth actionable insights for healthcare leaders so to accentuate the impact that physician leaders in executive roles can have in the areas of quality care initiatives, physician recruitment and retention, organizational culture, and provider burnout.
“Healthcare is at a crossroads, and the development of physician leaders has never been more crucial,” said Tony Stajduhar, president of Jackson Physician Search. “This report shows that while there’s strong interest in leadership among physicians, our healthcare system must do more to prepare them for these roles. Organizations that invest in leadership development will have a distinct advantage in navigating future challenges.”
Founded in 1978, Jackson Physician Research’s rise up the ranks stems from being an industry leader in physician recruitment. Having established a whole new standard for recruitment methodology, the company currently offers solution related to permanent recruitment of physicians, physician executives, and advanced practice providers, and it does that for hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers and medical groups across the United States.
