The purpose of this paper is to describe research that examined physician leadership development using complexity science principles.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe research that examined physician leadership development using complexity science principles.
Design/methodology/approach
Intensive interviewing of 21 participants and document review provided data regarding physician leadership development in health-care organizations using five principles of complexity science (connectivity, interdependence, feedback, exploration-of-the-space-of-possibilities and co-evolution), which were grouped in three areas of inquiry (relationships between agents, patterns of behaviour and enabling functions).
Findings
Physician leaders are viewed as critical in the transformation of healthcare and in improving patient outcomes, and yet significant challenges exist that limit their development. Leadership in health care continues to be associated with traditional, linear models, which are incongruent with the behaviour of a complex system, such as health care. Physician leadership development remains a low priority for most health-care organizations, although physicians admit to being limited in their capacity to lead. This research was based on five principles of complexity science and used grounded theory methodology to understand how the behaviours of a complex system can provide data regarding leadership development for physicians. The study demonstrated that there is a strong association between physician leadership and patient outcomes and that organizations play a primary role in supporting the development of physician leaders. Findings indicate that a physician’s relationship with their patient and their capacity for innovation can be extended as catalytic behaviours in a complex system. The findings also identified limiting factors that impact physicians who choose to lead, such as reimbursement models that do not place value on leadership and medical education that provides minimal opportunity for leadership skill development.
Practical Implications
This research provides practical applications for physician leadership development and emphasizes that it is incumbent upon physicians and organizations to focus attention on this to achieve improved patient and organizational outcomes.
Originality/value
This study pairing complexity science and physician leadership represents a unique way to view the development of physician leaders within the context of the complex system that is health care.
Details
Keywords
Colleen Marie Grady and C.R. (Bob) Hinings
Physicians are instrumental in healthcare reform and their capacity to employ both leadership and management skills can affect change at all levels. This paper aims to present the…
Abstract
Purpose
Physicians are instrumental in healthcare reform and their capacity to employ both leadership and management skills can affect change at all levels. This paper aims to present the challenges and opportunities for physicians in influencing system change and discuss how the two different but complementary skill sets may enable them to contribute to transformation of healthcare.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper and represents the viewpoints of both authors while incorporating current evidence through the literature.
Findings
Healthcare reform is important and underway in many Canadian provinces, yet it is difficult to achieve change. Leadership and management skills differ although these differences are often subtle in language. Physicians both lead and manage in the healthcare system; their capacity to do both is an advantage for healthcare reform.
Originality/value
This paper represents the opinions of both authors and is considered original as a conceptual paper.