4 growing healthcare executive positions

As the healthcare industry focuses and expands on quality and value-based care, hospital C-suite and executive positions must adapt to fill new demands and roles.

HIT Consultant compiled a list of emerging job titles among healthcare executives for 2014 based on a recent study by Spencer Stuart and the American Hospital Association, including:

  1. Vice President of Cost Containment: The position, of great importance and visibility both internally and externally, oversees all operational areas such as IT, claims, clinical functions, bill review, network management and finance, according to HIT Consultant.

  2. Vice President of Medical Management: This executive coordinates medical management, quality improvement and identifying functions for the health plan based on the company's strategic plan, while creating the strategic vision, policies and procedures, according to the article.

  3. Vice President of Clinical Transformation: This position takes care of system-wide value improvement activities, and develops and implements the population health plan with strong leadership and prioritization tactics, according to HIT Consultant. This position reports to the Chief Clinical Transformation Officer and works closely with all VPs and directors across the system.

  4. Vice President of Clinical Informatics: As electronic medical records play a more integral part in care, this executive develops strategies to get physicians successfully using technologies. The job holder should understand clinical operations, education, consultation, leadership, technology, performance improvement and patient safety.

Not only are there new jobs, different people from different backgrounds are taking those jobs. Only 39 percent of newly hired CEOs in 2013 came from another hospital CEO position, down drastically from 79 percent in 2009, FierceHealthcare previously reported. Hospitals now find leaders in industries like venture capital/private equity, finance/accounting, banking, technology, marketing/sales, not-for-profits and pharma/biotech. Hospitalists and physicians find themselves in leadership positions, bringing an inner knowledge of hospital workings and a "problem-solver outlook" and making them a prime candidate to improve hospitals' functionality.

To learn more:
- here's the HIT Consultant list
- check out the study