Cejka Search Blog

Trends in Hospital Executive Compensation: Q&A With Deedra Hartung of Cejka Executive Search.

noreply@blogger.com (Allan Cacanindin) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:51:00 +0000

As healthcare providers implement changes under healthcare reform legislation, strong leaders will be more important than ever. Hospital leaders' compensation should reflect this heightened need. However, hospitals are also facing reduced reimbursements and more pressure to reduce costs. Deedra Hartung, executive vice president and managing principal of Cejka Executive Search, offers insight into these opposing forces and other current trends in executive compensation.

Q: What are some of the current trends in healthcare executive compensation?

Deedra Hartung: Executive compensation is holding steady in terms of total compensation in most situations. But, we continue to see that more compensation is at risk, being paid out as a bonus only when performance goals are met in areas such as financial, operational and quality outcomes. Generally, the higher the total compensation, the greater the percentage of it is comprised by the bonus.

Q: What are the current challenges related to hospital compensation?

DH: We see two key challenges:
1. Margins. Hospital margins are getting tighter and that is expected to continue, especially as healthcare reform policies are implemented. Although it is yet to be determined what will happen with bundled payments, it is doubtful that both the hospital and doctors will receive the same or more than they have in the past. With this, it is difficult to continue to increase executive compensation.

2. Consolidation. There are a lot of mergers and acquisitions occurring. On one hand, that can displace executives out of the newly merged organizations. For those who remain to lead the larger organization it can actually increase their compensation, as they assume more responsibility for a bigger enterprise.
These challenges are at work in combination when we look at the trend toward physician integration. Hospitals are employing physicians and acquiring private physician practices in order to have an integrated health system. The short term effect is that the investment in acquisitions impacts hospitals' profitability, which in turn squeezes compensation, until the benefits of integration can be achieved.

Q: How can hospitals overcome these challenges?

DH: Most hospitals are getting leaner and reductions in force are occurring. With regard to the expense of physician acquisitions, it is critical that hospitals hire strong practice administrators with experience and skills in managing physician practices. Systems for effectively managing physician productivity standards, revenue cycle and physician charges must be in place to maximize revenues for the hospital or system.

Q: How has an increased focus on transparency affected the way hospitals compensate their leaders?

DH: Boards and executives are very sensitive to public awareness of executive compensation and the public perception of excess and extremes. Huge increases in either base or bonus compensation are too risky as are golden parachutes that are out of line with the market.

Q: With more and more healthcare organizations integrating to form larger networks, how do you think the distribution of compensation will change? Will fewer people have more money, or will the distribution be more even due to "shared savings"?

DH: This will be a difficult issue, especially where there are bundled payments. It remains to be seen which strategy hospitals will use to allocate the dollars.

Q: How do you predict compensation will continue to change?

DH: Performance-driven compensation will be dynamic because the key measures for outcomes and shared savings are yet to be fully defined — and are likely to keep changing. In any regard, executive compensation will continue to be tight in the near future and performance-driven over the long-term. Large systems will dominate the healthcare arena; smaller hospitals and independent physician practices will find it more and more difficult to compete for top leadership talent.

Are you attending the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference in New Orleans?

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:49:00 +0000

The Cejka Search team hopes to see you in New Orleans, LA at the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference taking place March 17-20, 2010.

Don’t miss the session “ A Commitment to Retention: Recruiting Best Practices and Highlights from the 2009 Physician Retention Survey” on Friday, March 19 at 3:45 p.m., which features Dr. J. Gregory Stovall, Sr. VPMA and Director of Organization Development, Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics and Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search.

More than just a simple recount of the 2009 Physician Retention Survey’s facts and figures, Dr. Stovall and Ms. Schutte will highlight recruitment and retention strategies that have succeeded for AMGA members in this difficult economy, share how to put those strategies in action for your organization, and provide a case study showing how a best practice recruitment and leadership development program succeeded in significantly improved retention. AMGA members attending the session will receive a complimentary copy of the 2008 survey and 2009 supplement.

If you cannot attend the session, we hope you will stop by Booth 220 to register to win a $500 AMEX Gift Card and visit with the Cejka Search team:
Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search Mary Barber, VP, Recruitment Partnerships and Marketing, Cejka Search Michael Dunford, EVP, Managing Principal, Cejka Executive Search Lois Dister, EVP, Managing Principal, Cejka Executive Search Brian McCartie, VP Business Development, Cejka Search Jessica Prince, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search Vivian Luce, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search Rob Henges, Regional Sales Director, Physician Staffing & Recruiting, Cejka Search

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Cejka Search at the ACPE Fall Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:51:00 +0000

Cejka Search was pleased to participate in the ACPE Fall Institute which took place November 2009. Excellent feedback was received from those who attended Lois Dister's panel at the ACPE Fall Institute and we'd like to thank our distinguished panelists again for their time and contribution to this interactive event.

After the panel presentation, Lois Dister and Michael Dunford participated in a recruiter's reception. We'd like to share two photos from this event.

From left to right:
Michael Dunford, Managing Principal, Executive Search for Cejka Search and Dr. Frank N. Deus, Medical Director, Benefits and Medical Review

From left to right:
Dr. Jennifer Massara, Prescott Women's Clinic; Dr. Mike Dwyer; Lois Dister, EVP and Managing Director, Cejka Search; Michael Dunford, Managing Principal, Cejka Search; Dr. Barry Silbaugh, CEO, American College of Physician Executives

Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Cejka Search to moderate panel of top healthcare executives

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Attending the ACPE Fall Institute in Tuscon, Arizona, November 14-19, 2009? Mark your calendars for this too-important-to-miss bonus session on Monday, Nov 16 at noon.

Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Cejka Search, will moderate an informative panel discussion with four of healthcare’s most highly-respected and experienced physician leaders.

Dr. David A. DiLoreto, MBA, FACS, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Resurrection Health Care
Currently challenged with the clinical service integration of 9 independent acute care facilities, 12 nursing homes, and 4 assisted living centers, Dr. DiLoreto manages employed and affiliated physician networks, directs quality improvement and care management programs, and oversees resident and nurse training. He also provides clinical consulting on health information exchanges involving the Department of Defense and community health care providers.

Dr. Howard R. Grant, JD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Geisinger Health System
Dr. Grant is responsible for guiding the activities of 1,200 provider physicians and advanced practitioners in 60 locations and the three Geisinger hospital campuses, which include compensation, quality and performance improvement, credentialing, and new program development. He is also involved directly in clinical operations, capital planning and other issues for the Clinic and the Health System.

Dr. Robert W. Pryor, MBA, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Medical Officer, Scott & White
Dr. Pryor has been CMO of Scott & White since 2005 and COO since August 2007. As a member of the senior leadership team with strategic growth responsibilities, Dr. Pryor has system-level responsibility for all clinic operations and medical management at Scott & White, headquartered in central Texas. This physician-led, $1 billion organization employs 900+ physicians in all specialties.

Dr. Christopher Stroud, MBA, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Aurora Medical Group
Dr. Stroud has operational responsibility for the 950-member Aurora Medical Group. In addition to more than 10 years in clinical practice as an obstetrician/gynecologist, Dr. Stroud has significant expertise is in the areas of physician recruitment and employment, physician compensation, medical group acquisition, and clinical program development and implementation.

If you are attending the ACPE Fall Institute in Tuscon, Arizona, we hope you will plan to join Lois and this distinguished panel on November 16 at noon in Canyon 1. Learn from them as they answer questions and share their expertise on today’s most important compensation issues as revealed from your responses to the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the ACPE.

Want more information? Read the article discussing key findings from the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the ACPE in the November/December 2009 issue of the Physician Executive Journal. Or, visit www.cejkasearch.com/acpe for survey highlights and to purchase your copy.

Hot off the press!

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, was quoted today in the article "Why are More Hospital Executives Pursuing M-degrees?' which was published on HealthLeadersMedia.com.

The article discusses one of the key findings of the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the ACPE - namely that one-third of physician executives surveyed have a post-graduate business degree including an MBA, MMM, MPH, or MHA.

Read it here: http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/240972/page/1/topic/WS_HLM2_LED/Why-are-More-Hospital-Executives-Pursuing-Mdegrees.html

Did you know?

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Results from the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives reveal that physician executives who work in a single-specialty group report the highest median compensation of $358,308, while those working in a health system corporate office report the second highest median compensation of $354,178. In comparison, physician executives working for government organizations report the lowest median compensation at $207,000.

Order your copy of the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey today.

Visit www.cejkasearch.com/acpe for more information.

Are you attending HealthLeaders Media's "Hospital of the Future Now"?

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:10:00 +0000

Cejka Search is proud to be a sponsor of the upcoming HealthLeaders Media ’09: The Hospital of the Future Now event taking place in Chicago, IL on October 15-16.

Our second year in sponsoring this important industry event, The Hospital of the Future Now will provide attendees with actionable strategies in such areas as improving the patient experience, attracting top talent, and creating a culture of innovation.

The event also honors the winners of the 2009 Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare Awards Program which recognizes outstanding senior healthcare leadership.

If you are attending, please introduce yourself to our experts in healthcare executive and physician search:

Lori Schutte, President, Cejka Search
Michael Dunford, Managing Principal, Executive Search
Deedra Hartung, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Executive Search
Lois Dister, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Executive Search
Mary Barber, Vice President, Recruitment Partnerships and Marketing

We look forward to seeing you there!

2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey is now available!

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Post-Graduate Business Degree Drives Pay for Physician Executives

Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives Release Findings from 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey

ST. LOUIS (September 29, 2009) – Signaling the increased value placed on top performing physician executive leadership, the attainment of a post-graduate business degree can garner a 10% greater salary, and be a significant door-opener for increased professional opportunity for physicians in administrative roles.

This and other findings are reported in the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey conducted by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) and Cejka Search.

"There is a growing need for physicians who are effective leaders," explains Barry Silbaugh, Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Physician Executives. "In an era of reform, organizations recognize the essential role of physicians who complement their clinical training with business education and leadership development to help ensure a balance of priorities, including quality and financial performance."

Top findings include:

One-third of physician executives (33%) have a post-graduate business degree (MBA, MMM, MPH, or MHA)

Physician executives earn on average a 10% greater salary with the attainment of the following post-graduate business degrees: 11% more with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), 8% more with a Master of Medical Management (MMM), and 10% more with a Master of Health Administration (MHA) compared with those without a post-graduate business degree.

The type of degree the physician executive holds makes an even more significant difference within a particular executive role. Comparing physician executives counterparts with and without a post-graduate business management degree, the following reported the largest differentials:
- Chief Executive Officers/Presidents earn 22% more with an MBA.
- Department Chair/Chiefs earn 25% more with an MMM.
- Medical Directors earn 18% more with an MHA.

Overall physician executive compensation averaged $288,000 in 2008, a 2-year gain of 12% and a 10-year increase of 44%. Compensation increased for all categories reported in the survey. Physician executives in these roles reported double-digit gains over the past 2-years:
- Chief Executive Officer/President earned $383,500, up 13%.
- Chief Medical Officers earned $324,750, up 11%.
- Department Chair/Division earned $330,000, up 10%.

Post-graduate business degrees are worth the time and expense

"Healthcare organizations are now mandating advanced business degrees in conjunction with strong clinical expertise for their physicians in executive leadership positions," explains Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director with Cejka Search’s Executive Search Division. "At the senior leadership table, physician leaders with business expertise are valued for their unique combination of clinical and business training, which results in better outcomes for patients and performance for the organization."

Financial performance and clinical quality are drivers for executive bonus distribution

Executive bonus is based on achieving a mix of organizational (55%) and personal (45%) goals.

Two-thirds (62%) cite financial performance, including cost containment and organization profit, as a component of their bonus, which is a 60% increase in frequency from 2007 when only 39% mentioned this as a determinant of their executive bonus.

More than half (53%) cite clinical quality, including outcome measurements, safety and process, as a bonus component, a 67% increase in frequency as compared to 32% in 2007.

Forty-four (44%) cited satisfaction among patients, physicians and employees as a component of their bonus – more than double the 20% frequency reported in 2007.

"Clinical quality is the fastest growing bonus component. In an era influenced heavily by Institute of Medicine and national quality organizations, these overarching goals are synonymous with the rankings of top hospitals," says Deedra Hartung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director with Cejka Search’s Executive Search Division. "But it is also evident, that responsibility for financial performance and stakeholder satisfaction also are determinants in compensation for many if not most physician executives throughout the organization."

"A number of factors can greatly influence compensation levels: the specific healthcare sector, the organization’s size and scope, as well as the organizational context in which the leaders find themselves," explains Lori Schutte, President of Cejka Search. "Organizations seeking to establish and develop top-performing executive physician leadership should have clearly defined clinical and business objectives, an honest assessment of their organization’s culture, and a system to ensure physician executive compensation is fair, equitable, and correlate to the results achieved. Those are the healthcare organizations that will attract and leverage the talents of the best physician executives."

Visit http://www.cejkasearch.com/acpe to purchase a copy of the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey. Costs are $150 for ACPE members and $350 for non-members. Individual sections (electronic only) with Executive Summary included, may be purchased for $75 for ACPE members and $150 for non-members.

Methodology

The Cejka Search and ACPE 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey was distributed electronically in May 2009 to 9,289 ACPE members. A total of 2,131 questionnaires were used in the survey tabulation, representing a twenty-three percent (23%) response.

About the American College of Physician Executives

The American College of Physician Executives (ACPE), located in Tampa, Florida, is the leading national professional association representing physicians in management and boasts a membership of over 9,000 including some of the nation’s top healthcare leaders.

About Cejka Search

Cejka Search is a nationally recognized healthcare executive and physician search organization providing services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than twenty-five years. Partnering with our client organizations to identify and present only the best healthcare talent, Cejka Search completes assignments across all levels of the healthcare continuum and is a market leader in providing flexible, innovative healthcare search and recruitment services. Cejka Search is a Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq: CCRN) company, a diversified leader in healthcare staffing services.

For more information, contact Nancy Burns, Cejka Search, at nburns@cejkasearch.com or 314-726-1603.

Experts to Highlight Key Trends in Physician and Healthcare Executive Recruitment, Leadership and Compensation

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Cejka Search Presents Expertise in Physician Recruitment and Retention Strategies, Approaches for Academic Leadership Development, and Physician Executive Compensation

St. Louis, (September 16, 2009) – Cejka Search, a national physician and healthcare executive search firm, has been instrumental in providing expert presenters and support for recent and upcoming forums this fall. These include those hosted by: Association for Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR); Southwind Health Partners LLC; Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); Medical Group Management Association (MGMA); HealthLeaders Media; and the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE). To view select content available in the Cejka Search Healthcare Executive Library, visit www.CejkaSearch.com/resources/healthcarelibrary/default.htm.

Association for Staff Physician Recruiters (ASPR) 16th Annual Educational Forum, Minneapolis, MN, August 30–September 2, 2009
Cejka Search was recognized for supporting ASPR as a Gold Level Corporate Contributor and participant in ASPR’s 2009 Annual Forum, “Beyond Titles, Toward Impact – Recruiters as Organizational Leaders.”

Southwind Physician Leadership College, Nashville, TN, September 16-18, 2009
Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, and Randy Gott, Senior Vice President, Southwind Health Partners L.L.C., will present “Keys to Successfully Recruiting and Retaining Physicians in the Physician Enterprise” on September 17, 2009. McCartie and Gott will discuss current healthcare market realities and provide strategies for effective physician recruitment and retention in a hospital employed environment.

Association of American Medical Colleges Roundtable for Executive Search Consultants Who Work with Academic Medical Centers, Washington, DC, September 23, 2009
Deedra Hartung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, will participate in a roundtable discussion of “The State of the Leadership Search Process in Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals” on September 23, 2009. Hartung will share her professional expertise in the academic medical arena, focusing specifically upon best practice executive search methodologies and executive leadership development strategies.

Medical Group Management Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO, October 11-14, 2009
Cejka Search is proud to be a Gold Affiliate Member of the MGMA. Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development, will present “Ready for Retirement? How To Keep the Physicians You Have and Hire the Ones You Want” on October 12, 2009. McCartie will discuss strategies that enable hospitals and health systems to effectively recruit and retain physicians in a time of shortage, with a specific focus on contrasting what comparable groups are doing to keep pre-retirement physicians engaged, how Stark rules can help to attract top candidates, and advice for implementing a ‘how-to’ recruitment guide.

HealthLeaders Media ’09: The Hospital of the Future Now, Chicago, IL, October 15-16
Cejka Search is proud to sponsor for the second year this important industry event which provides attendees with actionable strategies in such areas as improving the patient experience, attracting top talent, and creating a culture of innovation. The event also honors the winners of the 2009 Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare Awards Program which recognizes outstanding senior healthcare leadership.

Southwind Institute for Senior Health Systems Executives, Optimizing the Value of the Employed Physician Enterprise, Nashville, TN, November 4-6, 2009
The Southwind Health Partners event is designed specifically for non-profit health system C-Suite executives and has a focus on strategic, operational and financial success factors for the employed physician enterprise. Brian McCartie, Vice President Business Development will participate in two roundtable discussions on “Recruiting Physicians to the Employed Physician Group.”

American College of Physician Executives 2009 Fall Institute, Tucson, AZ, November 14-19, 2009
Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, will facilitate an interactive panel presentation of key findings and recommendations from the 2009 Physician Executive Compensation Survey by Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives on November 16. Participants will engage with a panel of physician executives who will discuss the survey findings as they pertain to their organization’s objectives and strategic planning.

About Cejka Search
Cejka Search is a nationally recognized healthcare executive and physician search organization providing services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than twenty-five years. Partnering with our client organizations to identify and present only the best healthcare talent, Cejka Search completes assignments across all levels of the healthcare continuum and is a market leader in providing flexible, innovative healthcare search and recruitment services. Cejka Search is a Cross Country Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq: CCRN) company, a diversified leader in healthcare staffing services.

For more information, contact Nancy Burns, Cejka Search, at nburns@cejkasearch.com or 314-726-1603. Follow us on Twitter: @cejkasearch

New! CEO and CFO Executive Placements

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Cejka Search Completes Search for Two New Top Executives at Mee Memorial Hospital

Lois Dister, Executive Vice President and Managing Director with the Executive Search Division, is pleased to announce Mee Memorial Hospital of King City, California has selected Lex T. Smith as their Chief Executive Officer. In addition, Ms. Dister also has completed the search for Mee Memorial’s new Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Susan Childers has accepted this role.

Mr. Smith brings extensive experience as a healthcare administrator. Most recently, Mr. Smith was the Chief Executive Officer of Parkview Hospital in El Reno, Oklahoma. During his 25 year tenure, he succeeded in ensuring the hospital’s financial stability, effective recruitment and retention, and employee development programs. In 2007, he was honored as the "Rural Hospital Administrator of the Year" by the Rural Hospital Association in Oklahoma.

Ms. Childers’ most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer of The Alaskan Native Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Ms. Childers has served in Chief Financial Officer and senior operations roles for 26 years at various hospitals in California and the Pacific Northwest. Throughout her career, Ms. Childers has been active in business development, community involvement, clinical program development, managed care negotiations, construction projects, turnarounds, revenue enhancement and performance improvement projects primarily in rural environments.

Lois Dister cites her engagement with the Mee Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees and Wellspring Partners as being a key component to the successful placement of their new top executives. Relying upon proactive involvement and effective communication throughout, she was able to build a strong foundation with the Board and the Wellspring interim management. “It was a real pleasure to work with the Board and the interim CEO and CFO from Wellspring. They understood the importance of sourcing candidates who not only had the right skill set, but who also would adapt to the organizational and community culture,” Lois explained. “Lex and Susan have had successful careers, and given their strong leadership skills, they will quickly make a positive, significant contribution at Mee Memorial Hospital.”

New! Executive Search Placement

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Cejka Search Is Pleased to Announce Mark Laney, MD as Heartland Health’s New Top Executive

Deedra Hartung, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Executive Search Division, is pleased to announce that Heartland Health in St. Joseph, Missouri has selected Mark Laney, MD for the key leadership role of President and Chief Executive Officer. In his new position, Dr. Laney will provide the leadership essential to the continued development and success of the Heartland Health organization.

Bringing extensive experience to his new role, Dr. Laney formerly served as President of Cook Children’s Physician Network where he was responsible for forming one of the US’ largest pediatric multi-specialty practices and for developing more than 20 multi-specialty hospital-based programs. During his 15-year tenure, he created a positive partnership with Cook Children’s physicians by integrating them into strategic plans and decisions, authoring the Physician Compact, and creating multiple communication forums, all of which resulted in a 98 percent retention rate for employed physicians. He also was responsible for guiding Cook Children’s Medical Center to achieve recognition as one of the eight pediatric Leapfrog Hospitals (2007) in the nation, as well as for directing the network of Cook Children’s Neighborhood Clinics, which provide a medical home for low income families, timely access to acute and preventive care, health education advocacy and mental health services.

Deedra Hartung cites her engagement with the Heartland Health Search Committee and senior leadership as being fundamental to the successful placement of their new President and CEO. “Heartland Health is a dynamic and growing health system. It was a pleasure to work with the Board and dedicated Search Committee at Heartland Health,” Deedra explained. “Dr. Laney is an exemplary leader and I am confident he will make a significant positive impact at Heartland Health.”

CMO or VPMA: Is there a difference?

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:08:00 +0000

A recent article in the Physician Executive Journal of Medical Management (May/June 2009) raised the question: "What is the difference between a CMO and a VPMA?"

Cejka Search and the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) teamed up to explore this question. Diverse viewpoints regarding the differences and similarities of these two roles were gathered from an online survey, discussion groups and personal interviews.

The resulting article explores how the healthcare marketplace is defining the CMO and VPMA roles today. While healthcare organizations and their physician leaders varied widely in their readiness to put a stake in the ground on this subject, there is certainly room for further discussion.

The key message is that organizations seeking to establish and develop a top physician leadership role should clearly define their clinical and business objectives upfront, then honestly assess the culture of their organization and its readiness to accept a physician executive. Then it will be ready to define a role that will attract and leverage the talents of the best physician executives available.

We’d like to hear from you.

How do you define the roles of CMO and VPMA? In your opinion, what is the difference between a CMO and a VPMA?

Join the discussion and debate! Click on the 'comment' button below.

Don't miss this presentation at HIMSS

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Savvy Clinician's Guide to IT Career Success
Monday, April 6, 2009 from 2:15 - 5:15 p.m. in room S 503 b

If you are attending HIMSS in Chicago, IL, mark your calendars to attend this informational workshop on career development and coaching for clinical information technology professionals.

An employer, an employee and a recruiter will help you understand today's job market for clinical IT, set goals, assess skills, compose a winning resume, and learn interviewing and negotiating secrets:

Bonnie Siegel, FHIMSS, Vice President, Healthcare IT Practice, Executive Search Division, Cejka Search
Brenda Herrmann, MSN, RN-BC, PMP, Senior Specialist, Perot Systems
Kathleen Kimmel, RN, MHA, FHIMSS, Vice President, Nursing Informatics, McKesson Corporation

The workshop will examine the dynamics of the current IT job market and how it affects clinicians. Attend this session and you will learn how to:

assess personal skills and career goals
identify the skills and attributes needed for the "ideal" next job
learn how to build these skills and attributes
develop insightful resume critiquing skills, editing abilities
apply these skills to a personal resume writing makeover

For more information, please contact:

Bonnie Siegel FHIMSS
Vice President, Healthcare IT Practice
800-678-7858
847-305-0730 cell
bsiegel@cejkasearch.com

Physician Executive Career Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:41:00 +0000

Friday, February 6, 2009
University of Texas at Dallas
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Make plans now to join us for a half-day workshop on physician executive careers.

Physician executives are practicing physicians who have stepped up into a position of administrative leadership in their hospital, health system or medical organization.

Hosted by three leading physician executive recruiters and a panel of nationally recognized physician leaders, you’ll learn:

What roles do physician executives play? What are their responsibilities?
What different career paths are available to physician executives?
How large is the market for physician executives? How fast is it growing?
How do you get started as a physician executive? How do you advance?
What compensation and contract terms do physician executives typically receive?
What credentials do you need to advance as a physician executive?
How do you deal with physician executive recruiters? What are they looking for?
What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

What are the pluses and minuses of a physician executive career? You’ll hear presentations and have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with three of the nation’s foremost physician executive recruiters:

Jennifer Grebenschikoff, Vice President, Physician Executive Management Center
Lois Dister, Vice President and Practice Leader, Cejka Search
Bonnie Siegel, Vice President, Cejka Search

You’ll also hear from a panel of distinguished physician executive leaders:

David Teegarden MD, MS, President and Chief Medical Officer, Trinity Mother Frances Health System
David Winter, MD, MS, President, MedProvider and Chairman, Baylor Health Texas Provider Network
William Rayburn, MD, MBA, Chief of Staff and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center

This event qualifies for 4 hours of Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.

Cost of the workshop is only $50, but seating is limited.

Careers in IT panel session at TEPR conference

noreply@blogger.com (Nancy Burns) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Careers in IT panel session at TEPR conference in Palm Springs, CA- February 4, 2009

Cejka Search is proud to announce our participation in a 90-minute panel discussion on Careers in IT at the TEPR conference.

Presenting the panel is Bonnie Siegel, FHIMSS, Vice President at Cejka Search, along with three co-presenters:

- Gerard Burns, MD, CMIO at Medstar Health in Columbia, MD
- Pamela Griffith, RN, Director of Applications, University of California Irvine Medical Center, Irvine, CA
- Robert Bahr, MD, CMO, Cerner Corp, Overland Park, KS

The Panel discussion is entitled "Viewpoints on Career Success in Clinical IT" and it takes place Wednesday, February 4, 2009 from 10:30 am to 12 noon in the Santa Rosa Room.

Abstract:
Clinician IT leaders are in strong demand and will continue to be for many years as more EMRs are adopted. Our panel will examine the current clinical IT job market, skill sets needed to succeed and career resources to use.

Three clinical IT leaders - a CMIO at a large multi-site health system, a CMO of Pediatrics at a major clinical IT software vendor, and a Director of Applications, an RN, at a university health system will discuss their unique stories of moving from direct patient care to clinical IT leadership positions.

Our discussion will include recommendations for career success and indicate any potential pitfalls for clinicians moving into IT leadership roles.

Cejka Search on Executive Recruiter Panel at ACPE

noreply@blogger.com (Bonnie) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:53:00 +0000

This week, Cejka Search was included as one of the featured executive recruiter firms at the 2008 American College of Physician Executives Fall Institute in Tucson, AZ, November 9-14, 2008. Over 400 Physician Executives were in attendance.

Bonnie Siegel, Vice President of the Healthcare IT Practice in the Executive Search Division, spoke on the topic of "Breaking into Information Technology--Becoming a CMIO" as part of the Executive Recruiter Panel Presentations.

For more information about the American College of Physician Executives, visit www.acpe.org

Cejka Search Sponsors 2008 HealthLeaders Media Top Leadership Teams Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Harman) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:37:00 +0000

Recently, Cejka Search was a sponsor of the 2008 HealthLeaders Media Top Leadership Teams in Healthcare Conference on Oct. 16-17, 2008 in Chicago.

The annual conference focused on strategic forums of healthcare leaders who shared their challenges, successes and pioneering approaches.

For information regarding the conference, visit http://www.topleadershipteams.net/

Siegel Quoted in Healthcare IT News

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Harman) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:46:00 +0000

Recently, Bonnie Siegel was interviewed by Healthcare IT News...below is a little of what the article mentioned as it relates to healthcare IT decisions.

The industry push toward adoption of healthcare IT is giving CIOs more decision-making power and prominence within hospital system's executive ranks, says one healthcare executive recruiter.

The implementation of electronic medical records and President Bush's call for portable electronic health records by 2014 have shaken up a lot of organizations, driving more executive boards to look to CIOs for strategic leadership going forward, said Bonnie Siegel, vice president of CEJKA Search's Healthcare IT Practice.

"Some organizations that had a director of IT now need an upgraded position at the executive management table to be more strategic," she said. Hospitals with between 200 and 500 beds in smaller metropolitan areas, in particular, are upgrading their director of IT positions to CIO positions.

Executive boards are asking many questions, and the CIO is required to be the "great communicator" who possesses interpersonal, leadership and team player skills, she said.
Hospital systems are also building CIO support teams that include clinical leaders to lead the clinical side of IT initiatives. In some organizations, the trend is adding the positions of Chief Medical Information Officer, Director of Medical Informatics, and/or Chief Nursing Officer to the CIO support team.

"You need buy-in from the caregivers," Siegel said. "You need to add clinicians for the user's perspective."

With the rise of electronic patient data access and exchange, hospital systems are also adding Chief Security Officer in IT to the team.

With hospitals connecting their electronic record systems to their associated physician groups' EHRs, the need for CIOs to move comfortably between acute-care settings and physician practice settings is becoming increasingly important. "This is causing new positions to be formed," she said.

While CIO recruitment is occurring "sporadically" across the country, Siegel noted that a lot of CIO hiring activity can be found in major metropolitan areas, particularly in the East Coast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Northwest regions and in California.

Siegel Interviewed in Post Dispatch Regarding Technology and It's Role in Healthcare

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Harman) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:53:00 +0000

Recently, Bonnie Siegel, was interviewed by Mary Jo Feldstein from the St. Louis Post Dispatch regarding technology and its role within healthcare.

"Bonnie Siegel, a vice president with Cejka Search Inc., a health care recruiting firm, was hired to recruit health care executives specifically interested in health information technology. Many of her recruits began with a career as a physician or a nurse and built on an interest in information technology. They're often designing the systems or determining how they can work better in patient-care situations, rather than working on technology glitches. Many chief medical-information technology officers remain active physicians, while most chief nursing-information technology officers leave their previous profession to focus on their new careers. Depending on their original specialty, chief medical-information technology officers might earn close to $500,000, while chief nursing-information technology officers can earn in the six figures. Most facilities are looking for someone with experience in implementing an electronic records system, preferably the same system being implemented at that facility, Siegel said. Having a master's degree or doctorate in health informatics or a related field makes candidates even more attractive, she said."

Mention in Healthcare Informatics

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Harman) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:02:00 +0000

Recently, Cejka Search was quoted in Healthcare Informatics July 2008 issue on the topic of IT Chiefs finding success in building a seasoned support team.

On the topic of why a seasoned support team is so important to have in an organization, Mike Hill, vice president and practice leader stated, “These senior management roles are becoming more strategic, and they're also becoming more visible, and much more senior.”

The article also asked the question: Who should a CMIO report to? Those interviewed agreed the most common and best arrangements are for the CMIO to report to either the CMO and have a “dotted-line” reporting relationship to the CIO, or sometimes, vice-versa, and to avoid a 50/50-type dual reporting relationship.

Bonnie Siegel, vice president, was quoted as saying, “I don't know that there is necessarily an ideal reporting relationship for the CMIO." Furthermore she stated the reporting relationships for CMIOs will continue to evolve as the position itself evolves. In any case, apart from reporting relationship considerations, all those interviewed agree that the CMIO must be seen as a clinician, not a “techie,” regardless of who the person reports to. And though a few years ago there was an intense shortage of CMIO candidates, more physicians are turning to the CMIO position as an exciting second career in healthcare.

To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Executive Search Division Featured in Health Executive Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Gretchen Harman) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:32:00 +0000

In the July 2008 issue of Health Executive magazine, our Executive Search division was highlighted as a premier business partner with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

To read the story in its entirety, click here.

Physician Recruitment Experts Participate in Leading Industry Online Events

noreply@blogger.com (Cejka Search) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 21:37:00 +0000

Two of our leading physician recruitment experts will be participating in upcoming online industry events:

American Urological Association Webinar
Brian McCartie, regional vice president of Cejka Search, will speak in the AUA’s webinar titled, "Physician Recruitment – Contracting and Selection Strategies" on Tuesday, December 11 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST. The webinar highlights the key elements of selecting the right recruit and negotiating a contract that meets both the needs of the practice and the new physician. McCartie discusses the increasing demand for urologists and how to meet the challenges of recruiting physicians in a time of shortage. Register for this webinar at registration@auanet.org or call (800)-908-9414.

Medical Economics/Urology Times
Advanstar Communications will host a podcast featuring David Cornett, regional vice president of Cejka Search on Saturday, December 15, titled, "Successful Practice Essentials: Best Places to Practice". In the podcast, Cornett describes some of the best places in the United States for physicians to practice medicine and highlights the advantages that make these cities and regions appealing to physicians.

Listen to the podcast at http://www.memag.com/radio or http://www.urologytimes.com/radio.

How Can Physicians' Job Satisfaction Be Improved?

noreply@blogger.com (David Cornett) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:39:00 +0000

As seen in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(Section M1, Wednesday, November 28, 2007)

In any marketplace, when demand is high and the supply is low, resources must be conserved and cultivated to ensure their availability to future generations. The practice of medicine is no different. The aging population has a doubling-effect: increasing the demand for medical care while reducing the supply of physicians who are retiring in record numbers.

Keeping physicians productive and satisfied in their medical practices, while attracting young people to the profession, has become a top priority for the healthcare industry.

The American Medical Group Association has extensively studied the interaction between physician satisfaction, recruitment and retention. Compensation issues are assumed to be the primary causes of dissatisfaction, and certainly reimbursement and malpractice insurance costs lead the list of concerns. However, in our joint physician retention survey with AMGA, we found that “poor cultural fit” with the medical group is the primary cause of turnover.

In the same survey, we discovered that medical groups who assign a mentor to newly recruited physicians reported a measurable improvement in retention. Medical groups shared other strategies for improving retention, such as engaging the spouse and significant other in recruitment and orientation, setting clear expectations for compensation and performance, and offering flexible work schedules.

The underlying message is that physicians are people. Their professional satisfaction is dependent on creating relationships and cultivating a work environment that addresses their needs for “fit and family.” In such an environment, the medical staff can work together to achieve important goals such as clinical quality, patient satisfaction, professional development, fair compensation and recruitment of new physicians to ensure continued delivery of care to future generations of patients.

Physician Recruitment - Contracting and Selection Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Cejka Search) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 22:37:00 +0000

Join Brian McCartie, Regional Vice President, for a webinar with the American Urological Association on the topic of physician recruitment, December 11, 2007, at 8:00pm - 9:30pm EST.

The demand for urologists continues to increase while the supply of available urologists remains relatively stable. As a result, attracting a qualified physician to a medical practice is becoming more and more difficult.

This webinar is designed to impart knowledge acquired from physician recruitment experts on the key elements of selecting the right recruit and negotiating a contract that meets both the needs of the practice and the new physician.

Top Physician Retention Strategies

noreply@blogger.com (Cejka Search) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:00:00 +0000

On Tuesday, February 12, 2008, join Brian McCartie, Regional Vice President for Cejka Search and Kevin Donovan, FACHE, FACMPE, Vice President of Physician and Ambulatory Services for Elliot Health System as they discuss the top physician retention strategies via an audio conference sponsored by HealthLeaders Audio Presentations.