Redefining healthcare leadership

I look upon healthcare management as something I live and love to do, which is why I decided to join the American College of Healthcare Executives as a student associate many years ago. As someone with strong commitment, respect and passion for the profession, I recognize the enormous challenges and opportunities we face.

Healthcare's transformation requires bold yet deliberate leadership. The need for new skills, new disciplines, new settings and new partners is increasing, and those with the ability to prepare for the future while navigating today's issues will redefine success.

The ACHE has a rich history of guiding its community of more than 40,000 healthcare leaders through such change. A foundational commitment to integrity, lifelong learning, leadership and diversity anchors us to our mission-driven work, and living these values sets us apart as leaders.

Enormous shifts in thinking are essential to provide our patients with the right care in the right setting at the right cost. These changes necessitate focusing more on clinical integration, accountable care and managing new models for payment and risk, all while facing resource constraints. Today's leaders need a solid knowledge base, a vital element to achieving certification in healthcare management as an ACHE Fellow. In addition to mastering a clear set of competencies, all healthcare leaders must build new skills to stay ahead of emerging issues.

But as healthcare delivery changes, so will the types of individuals who manage healthcare organizations. We must continue to engage executives across the healthcare spectrum. The ACHE stands ready to serve as a resource for leaders of varying backgrounds, welcoming to its ranks all those who are working on a daily basis to strengthen our communities and make our populations healthier.

There has never been a more important time for strong leadership in healthcare. Let's not define ourselves by what the walls of our organizations represent. What it means to be a healthcare leader of the future is dependent on so much more. Let's build on our values-based approach, engaging in professional development, sharing knowledge and best practices as a profession committed to improving healthcare delivery. And no matter how we adapt our roles, may we never lose sight of those we serve—our society, our communities, and most importantly, our patients.