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Recruit physician leaders

Medical Staff Leader Connection, August 31, 2005

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Continuity of good medical staff leadership should be a goal of every organization. The absence of such leadership when critical issues arise can have both short- and long-term consequences. Without capable leaders, the immediate challenge of the day may be unsuccessfully met. This failure then leaves the aftermath for future leaders to address.

Careful attention to succession planning assures that when current leaders leave office, they are followed without interruption by qualified successors. This vital process is often given little recognition, even among otherwise conscientious medical staffs. Physician organizations should regard succession planning as a core organizational process. It is closely related to strategic planning since it is difficult to plot the future of the medical staff without some assurance that the key posts will be filled with people able to carry on and excel.

To recruit successful physician leader

• Identify possible recruits in advance: A thoughtful succession planning program will identify replacements for current leaders who can step in when a term of office finishes or when there is an unexpected resignation.
• Designate an heir: Many organizations limit succession planning to the role of medical staff president. They do this most commonly by appointing a president-elect whose term run concurrent with that of the president (or chief of staff). This approach not only designates an individual next in line to take over this key leadership role, but also assures some degree of on-the-job preparation.
• Identify who is responsible for succession planning: If leadership succession planning is not a formal activity of your organization, address this absence in your next medical staff strategic planning process. Realistically, succession planning is never finished so the task should be assigned to an ongoing committee or entity within the medical staff.

  For more information about succession planning, check out How to Recruit and Develop Physician Leaders: A Strategy for Medical Staff Leadership Developmenton our Web site.

  That's all for this week!

  All the best,

  Richard Sheff, MD
  http://www.greeley.com/seminars/

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