In Brief: Forward-looking leaders are actively reshaping academic health systems.
ECG is proud have partnered with Becker’s Healthcare to design, sponsor, and launch the first ever Academic Medical Center (AMC) Leadership Forum at the Becker’s Annual Meeting in April 2024. Over the course of two days, more than 1,000 AMC executives, leaders, and other experts convened a series of panels to discuss emerging trends, new opportunities, and challenges in academic healthcare.
One word that seemed to come up in every session—complexity. AMCs have always been inherently complex enterprises, balancing a tripartite mission that spans clinical care, education, and research. But as panelists and attendees noted, market forces are driving the convergence of traditional AMCs and health systems, blurring the lines between academic and community medicine. As AMCs operate within academic health systems (AHSs), executives find themselves with a much larger platform and opportunity for even greater impact, as well new dynamics associated with a more diverse organization.
Navigating this transformation requires innovative thinking and a willingness to, as one panelist remarked, get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Over the course of three sessions moderated by leaders of ECG’s Academic Healthcare Division, several themes emerged as panelists shared strategies for thriving in a changing landscape.
1. Collaborate
AHSs must foster productive relationships between faculty and community physicians, all of whom are critical to the success of an integrated physician enterprise.
- Improve communication, constantly. As AMCs expand into new communities, their leaders need to ensure that they are listening. One panelist stressed the importance of avoiding telling people what they will get, and instead asking them what they want. This advice is relevant for communication with entity leaders, patients and patient families, providers, and many other internal and external stakeholders. Understanding that different people will be motivated differently is key.
- Words matter. Using language that elevates and includes (“integrated AHS”) rather than diminishes and excludes (AMC as the “mothership” or “the hub”) goes a long way.
- Transparency builds trust. Our panelists remarked, be completely transparent, even if it hurts. This is especially true when the conversation turns to sensitive topics (e.g., provider compensation). They may not like your answer, but they’ll appreciate your honesty.
- Get together. One panelist lamented the way that community and social interactions can be lost in today’s do-more environment. Bringing people together to get to know one another goes a long way in terms of fostering resilience and wellness. Even providers with different backgrounds and practice profiles often find they are more alike than different, and individual relationships pave the way for meaningful work together.
ECG partner Leah Gassett moderates the forum’s semi-keynote panel.
2. Consider New Partnerships
As AMCs confront workforce shortages, evolving patient expectations about access, and rising costs, many are pursuing unconventional partnerships.
- For-profit/not-for-profit partnerships. One panelist recounted how, 20 years earlier, his organization partnered with a for-profit entity. The move was uncommon at the time, and highly controversial. Today, it’s increasingly becoming the norm. As clinical margins dwindle, new ventures are imperative to sustaining a vibrant research enterprise. Panelists talked about how finding the right tension between for-profit and nonprofit activities can be a huge boon for the AHS.
- Going global. Partnerships don’t have to be based locally or even in the US. One panelist explained how his AMC partnered with Oxford University on a 10-year agreement to form a rare disease center. Together, they’re aiming to gain FDA approval for 40 new drugs.
- Teaming up with competitors. One AMC leader described partnering with a rival health system to purchase a local hospital system that was up for sale. By dividing up the contributions of capital, clinical expertise, and operational support, together they were able to accomplish something to benefit their community that neither could have done independently. Their partnership resulted in expanded training for future healthcare workers (long-term solution) and improved access for patients (immediate term solution).
ECG partner Dan Harrison leads a discussion on academic health system economics.
3. Be nimble, be quick.
If there was one word used nearly as often as “complex,” it was “nimble.” It’s not a word typically associated with health systems. But it’s clear that speed and agility are not only aspirational goals but necessary characteristics.
- Lessons from the pandemic. More than one panelist talked about the need to make decisions faster and with less consensus. The pandemic proved they were capable of doing that. The worst of COVID may be behind us, but being able to pivot when new information becomes available will be an advantage for AMCs, especially as they become larger and more complex.
- Empowering local leaders. As AMCs expand and partner with community systems, they need to get more comfortable relying on the expertise and decision-making of those who are closer to the action. Empower local people to make decisions and give service line leaders more authority. One panelist put it succinctly: no amount of central leadership can account for lack of local leadership.
ECG partner Greg Silva moderates a panel on the evolving academic physician enterprise.
About the AMC Leadership Forum
Three partners from ECG’s Academic Healthcare Division led sessions.
Leah Gassett moderated a semi-keynote panel titled “Academic Medical Center Growth: What it Takes to Thrive in Care, Research, and Innovation.” She was joined by:
- Dan Simon, MD, President, Academic and External Affairs and Chief Scientific Officer, Ernie and Patti Novak Distinguished Chair in Health Care Leadership, University Hospitals Health System
- Cristy Page, MD, MPH, Executive Dean, University of North Carolina School of Medicine; Chief Academic Officer, UNC Health
- David Battinelli, MD, Dean, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Executive Vice President and Physician in Chief, Northwell Health
Dan Harrison moderated a panel titled “Forecasting the Future: The Intersection of Healthcare Economics and Health System Strategy.” Joining him were:
- Amit Rastogi, MD, Chief Executive Officer, Jupiter Medical Center
- Mark A. Davis, MD, Chief Operating Officer, Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health Cancer Care
- Aaron Hajart, MS, ATC, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer, RWJBarnabas Health Community Medical Center
- Paul Babcock, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Health & Hospital Corporation of Marion County
Greg Silva served as moderator for a panel titled “The Evolving Physician Enterprise at Academic Health Systems.” His guests included:
- John D. Couris, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tampa General Hospital
- Paul Casey, MD, MBA, FACEP, Senior Vice President; Chief Medical Officer; Interim President, Faculty Practice Group; Professor, Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical Center
- Amir Ghaferi, MD, Masc, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer of Physician Enterprise; Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
- Andy Anderson, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Quality Officer, RWJBarnabas Health
Learn More about Our Academic Healthcare Team
Published April 24, 2024
