News and briefs: Hospitals focus on physician leadership training

As hospitals offer more physicians employment, they are also offering more opportunities for in-house leadership training, according to an article from amednews.com. The American College of Physician Executives says it offered 200 days of leadership courses in 2011, which is double the amount offered in previous years. For 2012, the organization plans to go over the 200-day mark.

The training courses are not for those already in the leadership role; they serve as a way to groom physicians to step into leadership positions. This training is necessary as new healthcare models emerge, says James Rice, PhD, project director for Management Sciences for Health. “But for physicians to go into leadership and management roles, serve on committees for the medical staff, take on part-time medical directorships, run accountable care organizations, be on process improvement teams, a new set of competencies has to be developed,” he says. 

In-house training can serve as a way to attract physicians to a hospital, says Rick Guarino, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Nash Health Care in Rocky Mount, NC. Physician leadership training is now a competitive edge for hospitals and that competitive edge is necessary as more hospitals employ more physicians, according to Guarino. To read more about the connection between physician employment and physician leadership, click here.