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Interdisciplinary Health Care Team
Team Members - Hospital Executive
Who is a Hospital Executive?
Today, hospitals are the largest and most complex organizations where health care is provided. Like all organizations, hospitals need to obtain resources, distribute them, and process them. In the case of hospitals, safe and effective patient care services rely on the efficient processing of these resources. The task of the Hospital Executive is to ensure that the organization:
- can provide high quality patient care services
- has appropriately trained caregivers who are team oriented
- has sufficient resources to purchase equipment and supplies and to modernize its facilities
- has all required licenses and certifications
- provides care to all community members
Hospital Executives of governmental and not-for-profit hospitals have a special responsibility to provide care to those who cannot afford to pay for it through private insurance or through their own funds. “Investor owned” hospitals, which constitute only 18% of all community hospitals, do not have an obligation to provide such care to everyone, but they must take care of anyone in their community who needs emergency care.
What does a Hospital Executive do?
The main task of the Hospital Executive is to lead the organization to fulfill its mission. This can involve any number of activities, including:
- recruiting physicians and other caregivers
- planning and seeking financing for new buildings and services
- negotiating with insurers to obtain adequate reimbursement for the care given to persons who are insured
- making certain that there are written policies in place to ensure a smooth running organization
- making sure that the hospital passes inspections by The Joint Commission (a private independent accrediting agency), as well as federal, state, and local governmental organizations
- informing the community about the hospital’s current activities and future plans to educate and to raise additional funds for new projects
What education, training, and experience must one have to function as a Hospital Executive?
Most successful Hospital Executives have a master’s degree, many with a specialization in health care management. Other Hospital Executives may have had educational majors in business, law, and other disciplines. Today, an increasing number of clinically trained individuals are being promoted to management positions. In contrast to many other nations, few physicians are chief executive officers (CEOs) of U.S. hospitals. For example, of the 6,346 hospitals in the United States in 2008, only 34 were headed by CEOs who are physicians.
How and by whom is a Hospital Executive supervised?
The Hospital Executive, as the CEO of a hospital, can be supervised by different people depending on the type of hospital he or she is leading. In “independent” or “freestanding” hospitals, the CEO usually reports to a Board of Trustees, people who usually live in the community and volunteer their time to oversee the strategic initiatives and policies of the hospital. But if the CEO leads a hospital that is part of a health system, he or she will more often be supervised by a regional executive of the system or by the CEO of the system. In hospitals that are publicly owned or operated, the CEO reports to the appropriate governmental agency responsible for health care in the state, county, or municipality.
What are the typical day-to-day activities of a Hospital Executive?
Hospital Executives have to relate to every department within the hospital and with many community groups outside of it. Moreover, they often serve as spokespersons for hospitals to local, state, and federal legislators and regulators. They also serve as resources for educators and professional standard setting organizations, such as professional societies of Hospital Executives, The Joint Commission, and trade associations, such as the American Hospital Association.
A Hospital Executive typically starts his or her day early and may begin with a meeting with leaders of the medical staff. Then, he or she may move on to meetings with management, vendors, prospective hires, his or her supervisor, the hospital’s Board, or corporate officials. Because of the importance of hospitals to health care in the community, Hospital Executives are often asked to give speeches and to be interviewed by the media on health-related issues.
Must a Hospital Executive be licensed or certified to function in his or her role as part of the health care team?
Hospital Executives are not required to be either licensed or certified. However, more than half of the nation’s hospital CEOs are members of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a society that offers a credential to those who pass an examination, maintain continuing education requirements, and abide by its code of ethics.
