{"id":29126,"date":"2016-09-05T00:35:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-05T00:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gator4105.temp.domains\/~qlksear1\/?p=29126"},"modified":"2023-02-06T21:20:41","modified_gmt":"2023-02-06T21:20:41","slug":"hospital-ceo-turnover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/gator4105.temp.domains\/~qlksear1\/hospital-ceo-turnover\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospital CEO Turnover"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The rate of turnover at the highest level of hospital administration is, and has historically been, significant, a concern when considering the need for stability and continuity to ensure the success of an organization and that its long-term goals remain on track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Average hospital CEO tenure has decreased from the 10-15 years it typically was in the past to less than four years today.  In 2014, ACHE reported the average turnover rate as 18%; although this actually represented a decrease from the prior year, during which it was at a record 20% (the highest it had been since 1981, when ACHE began compiling this data), it is still at one of the highest levels of the past 15 years.  Rhode Island had the highest turnover of all states, at an astounding 44%, with 16 other states across the country sitting at rates of 20-27%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deborah Bowen<\/a>, president and CEO of ACHE, attributes this high rate of turnover to factors that are now inherent in the healthcare environment.  She and others cite hospital consolidations as a strong contributing factor, as well as budget constraints that lead to the consolidation or elimination of positions, the retirement of large numbers of baby boomers, and hospitals’ desire to place physicians in the top role.  Additionally, as health care has gone through rapid change and increased complexity over the past decade, the difficulty of keeping up has forced some leaders out \u2013 it is a demanding and challenging task indeed.  CEOs are accountable to boards that are seeking to remain at the front of the pack in terms of technology, population health, and risk, and are expected to be able to quickly and effectively develop and enact initiatives \u2013 an inability to do this may result in termination, and older CEOs may not want to take on the burden of leading such major transformations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order for unexpected turnover to cause as little disruption as possible, having a strong succession planning process in place is key \u2013 the success of the organization cannot hang on one person.  James Rice, PhD, FACHE, managing director and practice leader at Integrated Healthcare Strategies, a division of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., suggests that boards consider the following to ease CEO transitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.\u00a0Understand the factors that lead to turnover (as discussed above)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.\u00a0Understand the risks associated with unplanned turnover related to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n