Why physician leadership training is essential for the successful delivery of healthcare.
Physicians are natural leaders, and regarded as such by patients, according to the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL). “In fact, the physician/patient relationship is still the bedrock of the healthcare model,” the association told Repertoire.
What has changed is the need for physicians to have skills in areas such as the management of employees, understanding payment systems and models, mastering the relationship with others in administration and the C-suite. “For the most part, even as these demands have changed, medical school training has not caught up, it remains limited to medicine and clinical education.”
In April, the AAPL released a white paper detailing the value of physician leadership training. The share of physicians working in practices wholly owned by physicians dropped to 46.7%, down from 60.1% in 2012,” according to research cited in the white paper. “As hospitals and health systems increasingly employ physicians, they need physician leaders who serve as ‘interface professionals’ who bridge medicine and management … Physician-led organizations outperform their non-physician-led peers on measures of quality of care, patient experience, and cost of care.”
The white paper included a review of literature examining Physician Leadership Development Programs (PLDPs), which are growing in number and scope across the industry. These programs, the research found, are highly dependent on the overall culture and commitment to leadership training within organizations inside each sector of healthcare.
An organization’s leadership ecosystem includes all the factors that surround a PLDP and contribute to a physician leader’s success – or failure – in influencing positive changes:
- Funding to support the changes physician leaders are attempting to influence within organizations
- Infrastructure alignment with other training and leadership development programs that are clear across diverse career paths
- Cultural factors within institutions, including recognized role models, diversity of participants, and organizational appreciation for the value of PLDP participation
- Ready availability of coaches, mentors, and experienced educators
- Engagement with post-PLDP activities such as alumni networks and follow-up sessions.
Within a successful corporate structure, PLDP’s can have the following measurable impacts on physicians:
- Increased self-awareness and insight with improved interpersonal communication skills
- Expansion of professional networks, internally and externally
- Increased volume and better outcomes with quality improvement projects
- Preparation for more advanced senior leadership roles and smooth succession plans
Benefits of formal training
In 2023 AAPL conducted an initial survey of physician leaders who completed the Certified Physician Executive (CPE), credential program, one of the longest-running and most respected educational opportunities for physician leaders. More than 90% reported that achieving the certification empowered them to achieve personal and professional leadership goals, the AAPL noted. Numerous examples of institutional benefits to having CPE-qualified physicians were noted.
In the annual U.S. News and World Report survey of top performing American healthcare systems, a strong majority of those in the “Honor Roll” each year are led by physician CEOs. Similarly, an overwhelming number of top-ranked hospitals reported in the Newsweek annual international survey on “Best Hospitals” continue to be run by physician CEOs – supporting the strong connection between high performance ratings and physician leadership. In the U.S., currently there are only 6% of hospitals with physicians as CEO.
“A more well-rounded training paradigm, which includes leadership training, prepares physicians to take an active role in the management of practices, healthcare systems and hospitals,” the AAPL said. “Leadership training also has the added benefit of providing physicians with more well-rounded careers that can serve as an antidote to physician burnout. Leadership training will restore and maintain the position of a physician as a trusted authority among colleagues, administrators, and patients.”
AAPL Initiatives
2025 is AAPL’s 50th year. The association plans to celebrate the anniversary by increasing the visibility of the need for physician leadership and AAPL’s contributions to fill that void over the last 50 years. AAPL will also look forward to ensuring that physicians receive well-rounded training to tackle the needs of healthcare moving forward.
In addition, AAPL launched the CMO Academy in 2024, a year-long program that started this fall. AAPL is enrolling another cohort starting in October for Fall 2025.
AAPL is also launching a series of micro-credentials over the course of the several months.