Changes by HHS make it even more important for all physicians to lead

Leon Moores: ©Leon Moores

Changes in healthcare policy and restructuring of federal budgets can result in understandable uncertainty, creating stressful conditions for many of our teammates.

During large transitions of the health care workforce, physicians can be a steadying, positive influence. That process begins with all physicians seeing themselves as leaders—and being seen and respected that way throughout the healthcare industry.

Why It matters that physicians see themselves as leaders

Leadership is something physicians do every day. People expect us to make critical decisions, inspire and guide treatment teams, influence patients’ behaviors, present complex concepts in relatable ways, rally patients’ families around medical decisions, communicate honestly and empathetically, and be exemplars of professional conduct (and even, yes, of human virtue). Few roles in society carry as many built-in leadership expectations as that of physician.

However, the current accepted connotation of “physician leader” is limiting as it typicallyrefers to doctors in named, obvious positions of authority within the medical hierarchy. But because of the innate influence all physicians have on the health care environment, I propose we change the conversation and stop viewing physician leadership only

through the lens of organizational structures. Let’s recognize that all physicians are leaders now, not just some doctors later in their careers in positions such aschief medical officers or hospital CEOs.

In our role we influence others’ thoughts and behavior to achieve desired results every day. And those desired results can in some cases be more difficult to achieve given the current uncertainties and anxieties in the health care workforce.

Physicians lead in many ways, including:

We lead patients—Almost every encounter with a patient is a leadership event. For example, when you sit down with a patient to develop a treatment plan, you’re often trying to convince them to make a change in their life. The

desired result may be for them to lose weight, stop smoking, start a new

medication, have surgery, or change an unhealthy living environment.

In short, you’re trying to influence them to do something they weren’t

doing before and probably don’t want to do now. Influencing patients successfully requires skills that are fundamental to leaders in all disciplines.

We lead health care teams—Good leadership translates tohigher-performing teams, the gold standard we all strive for in health care. High-performing teams and low-performing teams are separated by three key factors that stem directly from strong leadership: trust, caring, and longevity.

Every day you lead treatment teams, whether that’s one assistant, a team of five in the OR, the hospital team assigned to your patients, or a whole clinic staff. The “desired results” you’re aiming for can change on a daily, hourly, or moment-to-moment basis. For example, you might be facing a logjam in the clinic where patients aren’t moving through as quickly as they should, and you’re behind schedule and you engage to help fix it. That’s a leadership event. You have a choice as to how to play it.

You can vent your frustrations on everyone, shouting, “Come on, people, we need to get things moving!” Or you can use higher-level leadership skills—pull the team together and say, “Okay, we’re running behind and patients are getting frustrated. Let’s hear everyone’s suggestions on how we can fix this.”

We lead with impact on patient satisfaction and financial results—Health care organizationsare also prime beneficiaries of better physician leadership—not just as practiced by titled leaders, but as practiced by all staff physicians. Better physician leadership leads to better team member and patient experience. And improved patient satisfaction, as reflected in patient surveys and online reviews, is good news for hospitals’ bottom lines. A 2021 article in Medical Economics noted a direct correlation between patient experience and profitability.

High scores in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems are not only being used to competitively attract more patients to hospitals and other facilities; they are also being used to set reimbursement rates.

Hospitals now have a direct financial incentive to improve patients’ experiences, and one of the best ways to do this is at the granular level: ensure that every physician in the organization is practicing excellent leadership skills with their colleagues, their teams.

How physicians’ leadership can help in the presence of impending job cuts

Having fewer health care employees impacts entire communities and calls for physician leadership that can find ways to support patients and staff. Here are just a few examples of physician leadership interventions to meet these demands in challenging times:

Lead community health initiatives—Physician leaders can assess local health needs and identify areas where public health resources are insufficient, addressing gaps in specialized care like pediatrics or mental health. By collaborating with community organizations, physicians can expand the reach and effectiveness of health initiatives, leveraging existing community health workers, volunteers, or local government programs. Physician leaders can also spearhead efforts to promote preventive care and educate communities on crucial health issues, reducing reliance on strained public health services.

Enhance health care efficiency—Physicians can lead the way in improving care delivery, with initiatives to reduce overuse of resources,streamline workflows and increase access to care. They can drive the adoption of innovative solutions, such as remote patient monitoring or telehealth, to address workforce shortages and maintain and improve care delivery.

Directly support the health care workforce—Physicians can create a supportive environment for their colleagues by addressing burnout and promoting work-life balance, helping to retain health care teammates if workforce cuts occur. They can mentor younger physicians to help them develop leadership skills, and advocate for team-based care models, leveraging the expertise of nurses, physician assistants, and other health care professionals.

Physicians who engage as effective leaders can make a difference in this critical time in health care. They can actively contribute to mitigating the negative impacts of health care workforce cuts and, in the process, ensure the well-being of their patients and communities.

Dr. Leon Moores (allphysicianslead.com), author of "All Physicians Lead: Redefining Physician Leadership for Better Patient Outcomes," is a West Point graduate who was commissioned as an infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. Moores earned his MD from the Uniformed Services University (USU) School of Medicine and his Doctor of Science in healthcare leadership from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. He has served as Chief of the Department of Surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Deputy Commander (SVP) of the National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Commander (CEO) in Fort Meade Medical System, and CEO of Pediatric Specialists of Virginia. A practicing professor of pediatric neurosurgery, he most recently served as the president of the largest medical group in northern Virginia. A sought-after speaker and consultant in physician leadership, Moores was twice the Army Surgeon General physician leader of the year, has been designated “Top Doctor” by Washingtonian and several Virginia magazines, and has been awarded citations from the governors of Maryland and Virginia.