Physician leaders wanted for transition to high-value care

Just 5 percent of hospital leaders are physicians, not nearly enough for a successful transition to value-based care, according to a white paper from the American College of Physician Executives.

The authors performed an extensive literature review and interviewed multiple healthcare professionals and came to the conclusion that healthcare systems and hospitals perform better with physicians at the helm.

A number of factors are increasing the currency of physician leadership in healthcare: the shift from volume to value, the focus on population-health management, the redesign of clinical care models, and value-based payment models.

To successfully lead an organization, however, physicians will have to supplement the skills they learned in medical school with five core competencies for leadership excellence, including communication and relationship management.