Physician leaders: 5 ways to ensure success

Hospitals often rely on physician champions or advocates--typically respected doctors with clout among their peers--to help promote physician alignment.

But doctors put in these leadership roles may be doomed to failure due to issues outside of their control, according to an article in Becker’s Hospital Review.

But there are several ways hospital leaders can ensure their success. Here are just a few:

  • First, look for physician leaders who are strong listeners. Listening skills are necessary for conflict resolution, FierceHealthcare previously reported, and physician leaders who are effective communicators can better ensure other clinicians understand what changes mean and how they will be implemented. 

  • But make sure they are also data-savvy. Data is an important tool to emphasize the need for new initiatives and updates, and can be a significant motivator to convince physicians to adopt new ideas. Look for a potential physician champion who understands how to use data to promote change.

  • Provide support: Most physicians do not have formal training or a background in leadership, according to Becker’s, so they may find themselves at a loss for how to best motivate their peers when changes are implemented. Having too many questions can lead to stress--compounding potential burnout, an issue for many physicans--and can leave the champion unmotivated. Provide your leaders with a mentor to help answer questions as they come up, the article advises.

  • Give them a say: A physician advocate plays the role of liaison between clinicians and administrators, and he or she should be involved in decisions that change care delivery. Other clinicians will be more likely to accept changes and listen to new ideas if they feel their views are heard. Just make sure you are clear with your expectations. "Leaders should be cognizant on when to draw the line during deliberations of strategic initiatives, but they should err on the side of inclusion," Ed Howell, professor of public health sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, told Becker's.

  • Pay them for the additional responsibilties: Most physicians who take on leadership roles will not see a reduction in their clinical workload, so they likely will take on extra responsibilities--and work hours--with no additional pay, according to Becker’s. Offer them compensation for additional duties, or offer to fill in the gaps left by reduced clinic time to ensure they have the time and motivation to tackle on the added tasks.

- here’s the Becker’s article