AOA Critical Issues Symposium: Current Opinion in Orthopaedics: Orthopaedic Physician Leadership in the Evolving Academic Health-Care System

Abstract

Orthopaedic surgeons are called upon to lead in numerous clinical settings, but the importance of physician leadership is also relevant to administrative roles. As the complexity of health care has increased, the challenges confronting the orthopaedic physician leader have increased as well. During the past century, there has been a substantial increase in the number of non-physician CEO leaders, and this is particularly critical in the academic health system, for which investment in the research and education missions is heavily dependent upon the clinical enterprise. Therefore, physician leadership becomes even more important, with heightened influence. Being an orthopaedic surgeon, or any type of physician, is not synonymous with excellence in leadership. Rather, growth as a leader requires hard work dedicated to the acquisition and nurturing of the knowledge, behaviors, and competencies that result in excellence. We readily acknowledge that physicians must work with a multidisciplinary administrative team of content experts but believe that true expert leaders also possess the inherent knowledge and expertise in the core business for which the organization exists. We encourage our physician colleagues to work to become stronger leaders regardless of their ultimate career aspirations.