Perspectives on Healthcare Leader and Leadership Development

Perspectives on Healthcare Leader and Leadership Development

By: Elaine S. Scott

Journal of Healthcare Leadership 2010

Rhondee Damon

Management of Healthcare Institutions

Dr. Lamar Odom, J.S., M.S.

Perspectives on Healthcare Leader and Leadership Development

This article comes from the perspective of a nurse clinician. The author believes that "health care organizational leaders must partner with clinical leaders to address patient safety, evidence based

practice, financial sustainability, and capacity" and that "tensions between the groups remain" and obstacle (Scott, p. 83).

Dr. Scott sees the healthcare system as a bureaucratic entity in need of new leadership. The author points out that in order for the healthcare system to work, three strategies must be used: implementation of shared or clinical governance models, advocacy for frontline clinical empowerment and advancement of clinical leadership in organizations.

Governance models are mostly operated outside the context of "line management and serve as recommending bodies rather than having authority to execute change" (Scott, p. 84). However, Dr. Scott believes that using a frontline" approach where nurses are given the training, resources and authority are able to improve patient care and safety processes. One of the challenges in the implementation of this model is the "autonomy of physicians who see little value in participating in collaborative efforts with other clinicians in or advancing organizational priorities" (Scott, p. 85).

The healthcare industry sees leadership as a "role" rather than a development process and requires the need to "create the conditions which support and enhance new models of leadership" (Hewison, Griffiths, p. 471). In order to overcome this obstacle, an integration strategy is being used that

"promotes collaboration, communication, and achievement of goals" (Day, 581, 613). The author believes that the "alignment of both formal and informal leaders within an organization impacts the incorporation of change and innovation in an organization" will improve healthcare delivery (Scott, p. 86).

In order to transform the healthcare system leadership framework, shared leadership and new partnerships are needed. Three advantages of shared leadership are: (i) it spreads information and power throughout the organization, (ii) promotes strong leadership succession capacity, and (iii) leaders that are closer to the service delivery see things that need