Advice for medical staff leaders

Recently, my colleague, HCPro Books Editor Karen Kondilis, asked William F. Mills, MD, MMM, CPE, FACPE, FAAFPE, about his experiences as a medical staff leader turned author. Mills and Mary J. Hoppa, MD, MBA, co-wrote The Medical Executive Committee Manual. Following is an excerpt from their conversation.

Q: What inspired you to write your first book?

Mills: I have been interested in medical staff leadership development for the last 15 or so years. I realized when I became a medical staff leader that most “leaders” were completely unprepared for leadership. The assumption is that a good clinician will make a good leader. That’s sort of like saying a good physicist will make a good philosopher because both are smart and the words begin with the letter “p.” My thinking and inspiration for writing this book was to provide physician leaders, and potential leaders, with a quick reference, an easy read that would teach them some leadership basics in the hospital setting. The book is about the roles of the medical executive committee, where effective medical staff leadership must occur to create and improve a culture of quality and safety for our patients.

Q: What is the message you want readers to grasp?

Mills: My main message is one of improving the culture of quality and patient safety which will improve the clinical outcomes for the patients we serve. To do this, the system must change. Clinicians typically are not taught much about this and my goal is to rectify that.

Look for the complete interview in an upcoming issue of Medical Staff Briefing. For more information or to order a copy of The Medical Executive Committee Manual, click here.