The number of baby boomers getting ready to retire and the number of independent delivery networks and networks in the U.S. will mean a demand for interim executives within the healthcare industry, particularly chief information officer and chief medical informatics officer positions, according to Healthcare Informatics.
The shortage of experienced healthcare executives means more interim leaders will step in to take their place, which can create a challenge for hospital boards to find the person with not only the right skills, but the temperament and attitude needed to ensure continuity with the staff, writes author Tim Tolan, a senior partner of Sanford Rose Associates-Healthcare IT Practice.
To make sure interim executives are successful, hospital CEOs and members of the leadership teams should offer full support, outlining a specific timelines, and setting clear expectations and guidelines for the new team member to follow, according to the article. However, hospitals must ensure the interim executive has the power and authority to accomplish the expected goals, because a sense of mistrust and second-guessing from hospital leadership could create problems, Tolan writes.
Organizations looking to hire an interim executive should evaluate candidates as if it was a full-time position. Just like in a permanent job, the relationship between supervisors and cultural alignment is crucial, according to the article.
The recent trend of hospital mergers and acquisitions, consolidations and cost cutting ventures could also contribute to the turnover and leadership restructuring, FierceHealthcare previously reported.
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