Moving into management traditionally was seen as a way for physicians to ease into retirement. But physician executives now are in high demand. They are being recruited to lead delivery-system reforms as insurers and providers shift to paying for value rather than volume.
The American College of Physician Executives has been offering doctors educational programs to improve their management and leadership skills since its founding. About 800 people are expected to attend the college's annual meeting April 25-29 in Chicago. CEO Dr. Peter Angood has been pushing to expand the group's traditional mission from serving as a continuing medical education provider for midcareer physicians to helping shape national healthcare policy and serving doctors at all stages of their careers.
The agenda for this year's meeting (PDF) reflects this goal. A significant portion of the meeting will focus on the effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the challenges physician CEOs face in measuring quality, costs and value, and what it takes to be a successful physician in the C-suite.
