Engaging Physicians as Leaders

By Andrew J. Halley, MBA, CMPE, Network Executive, The Halley Consulting Group, LLC

Every aspect of the healthcare industry has become increasingly complex and challenging – a trend likely to continue.  Clinical services, technology, organizational structure, regulatory requirements, reimbursement strategies, the rigors of business and more, are placing new demands on leaders in individual practice settings, in acute care facilities and in post-acute environments.  Engaging practicing physicians as effective leaders in each of these settings has become absolutely essential to long-term success.  In fact, in the practice setting, every physician will need to be involved in the success of the enterprise.  Those physicians who had hoped to avoid such involvement and “just practice medicine” will likely be disappointed even if they are employed by a large organization.

Practice managers can help physicians prepare for these realities and their role in leadership by:

1. Engaging them in decision-making processes based on correct operating principles;
2. Helping them be effective stewards of organizational performance; and,
3. Helping them learn to hold each other and management accountable for achieving the desired results in clinical quality, service quality, personal productivity and financial viability.

Editor’s Note:
Andrew Halley will provide attendees with insights about the role of and development of practicing physician leaders during the 2013 NCMGM Fall Conference, September 11-13 at the Embassy Suites in Concord, NC.  He will present “Engaging Physicians as Leaders” on Thursday, September 12th.