An Innovative Way to Teach Hospital Leadership and Administration in Residency

by Andrea Heyn, MD, University of Arizona, Tucson.

As a family medicine resident, I have spent countless hours learning how to treat chronic medical conditions in the clinic, delivering and caring for newborn babies, and managing hospitalized patients. However, I have always wanted more experience in hospital leadership and administration, as I am fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. I had the opportunity to participate in a leadership program offered by my residency, but it did not give me the firsthand exposure I envisioned, so I took the opportunity to design an elective that would give me experience to find out if this could be part of my career.

The elective was 2 weeks long, and consisted of two portions. I worked hands-on with Bethany Bruzzi, DO, one of the family medicine resident attendings, who was the hospital’s new chief medical officer. The first portion of the elective revolved around self-reflection and assessment. I received a 360 evaluation, completed by my supervisors, direct peers, those whom I supervise, and support staff such as the medical assistants and receptionists. This helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses with regards to effective communication and interpersonal relationships. Additionally, as part of this self-reflection process, I read several books and articles on personal development. One particular article, Connect, Then Lead, from the Harvard Business Review, helped me refine how I interacted with my co-residents as a senior resident, which was particularly helpful as someone who is a direct communicator.

The second portion of the elective involved my participation in various meetings and discussions. Each morning, we had daily hospital rounds with social workers, physicians, and nurses to discuss the discharge needs of patients. One specific example was of a patient who had been admitted for multiple weeks without a next of kin, awaiting a public fiduciary. We consequently spent hours working with the court liaison on streamlining the process of assigning a public fiduciary for future patients. We had phone meetings with the IT department advocating for physicians’ requests for changes and additions to the EMR system, with one particular meeting focused on revising discharge templates. We also met with representatives from various departments who were part of the Quality and Safety Council to discuss quarterly initiatives for the hospital.  This meeting was dynamic and progressive, with changes implemented as a direct result of feedback from staff and physicians. However, what I found most interesting was the budget discussion. I now appreciate the challenge of attempting to meet the needs of so many, from doctors requesting new ultrasounds, to the kitchen needing new stoves, while staying within the budgetary constraints. Finally, I got to sit in on the Executive Stewardship meeting and watched as the needs of the hospital were negotiated from a corporate level.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside Dr Bruzzi. As a female physician, she is an inspiration to me as I prepare to graduate from residency and advance my career. Her promotion to CMO of this teaching hospital as a family physician speaks strongly to the dynamic role family physicians, particularly women, have in the medical arena.

This rotation has brought me to further appreciate the collaborative effort that is required to effect positive change in a multidimensional setting, where the needs of each player – patients, staff, nurses, residents, and attendings—vary tremendously. Furthermore, as I interview for jobs, prospective hires like to hear about my interest in future leadership positions, and discuss my goals and potential mentoring strategies.  I would encourage other residents to pursue leadership and administrative experiences via this direct approach. For those already in leadership roles, I ask you to create an opportunity for residents like myself to inspire and encourage us to become future leaders in family medicine.