A Model for Physician Leadership Development and Succession Planning.

Although the presence of physicians in formal leadership positions has often been limited to roles of department chiefs, MAC chairs, etc., a growing number of organizations are recruiting physicians to other leadership positions (e.g., VP, CEO) where their involvement is being genuinely sought and valued. While physicians have traditionally risen to leadership positions based on clinical excellence or on a rotational basis, truly effective physician leadership that includes competencies such as strategic planning, budgeting, mentoring, network development, etc., is essential to support organizational goals, improve performance and overall efficiency as well as ensuring the quality of care. In this context, the authors have developed a physician leader development and succession planning matrix and supporting toolkit to assist hospitals in identifying and nurturing the next generation of physician leaders.

New structures for challenges in healthcare management.

Government initiatives aimed at improving the healthcare available to Canadians pose a significant challenge to leaders responsible for developing and implementing strategies to translate these initiatives into reality. This article presents a new approach to management structures and processes designed to address this challenge. The approach includes new senior leadership skills focusing on collaboration and influence, functional rather than hierarchical teams, and clarity in team mandates and team empowerment to facilitate achievement of expectations.